Simulation techniques in hyperthermia treatment planning

Abstract

Clinical trials have shown that hyperthermia (HT), i.e. an increase of tissue temperature to 39-44°C, significantly enhance radiotherapy and chemotherapy effectiveness (1). Driven by the developments in computational techniques and computing power, personalized hyperthermia treatment planning (HTP) has matured and has become a powerful tool for optimizing treatment quality. Electromagnetic, ultrasound, and thermal simulations using realistic clinical setups are now being performed to achieve patient-specific treatment optimization. In addition, extensive studies aimed to properly implement novel HT tools and techniques, and to assess the quality of HT, are becoming more common. In this paper, we review the simulation tools and techniques developed for clinical hyperthermia, and evaluate their current status on the path from “model” to “clinic”. In addition, we illustrate the major techniques employed for validation and optimization. HTP has become an essential tool for improvement, control, and assessment of HT treatment quality. As such, it plays a pivotal role in the quest to establish HT as an efficacious addition to multi-modality treatment of cancer.

The role of mathematical modelling in thermal medicine

“…Paulides et al [17] have reviewed simulation tools and techniques that were developed for clinical hyperthermia. The authors evaluate the current status computer models and their adequacy for clinical applications.…”

The clinical benefit of hyperthermia in pancreatic cancer: a systematic review

“…Thus, heating methods that allow for local adjustment of the temperature distribution are preferred, such as radiative heating using a phased array of multiple antennas [70]. Radiative heating also allows for HT treatment planning [71][72][73][74], which may yield better temperature distributions and the possibility to avoid hot spots. With temperature being heterogeneous and not constant in time, reporting is preferably done using a set of thermal dose parameters [69].…”

Thermoradiotherapy planning: Integration in routine clinical practice

“…Treatment planning is essential to optimise the radiation dose and temperature delivered to the tumour while minimising the risk of normal tissue complications. Currently, treatment planning for these two modalities is always performed separately, without taking the synergistic action between the two modalities into account [3][4][5][6]. Because of the synergy, treatment outcome strongly depends on the radiosensitising effect of the temperature distribution on the radiotherapy dose distribution.…”