Computer modelling and simulation of radiofrequency ablation of bone tumors

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive technique used for the treatment of many types of tumors, with a growing interest in the treatment of bone tumors. It uses radio waves to heat up the tissues surrounding a needle-like applicator to destroy the target tumor by exposing the surrounding tissues to high temperatures for a long enough time. However, the technique has been used mostly to treat tumors in other organs, and although it is safe and effective, with little data regarding how much damage it causes in bone tumors, it makes prospective planning challenging. Tumors must be completely destroyed to avoid recurrence but damage to healthy tissues must be minimized. The generation of heat and heat transfer can be modeled mathematically. With this, it was possible to create computer models to simulate the procedure. By looking at retrospective data from patients treated for RFA of bone tumors, the extensions of damage were measured, and the length of the procedure and other parameters were also captured. With these data, it was possible to fit the models to find the optimal parameters to predict the outcomes. Finally, complex 3D computational patient-specific models were created from medical images, and it was possible to replicate the clinical outcomes. This thesis thus showed that computational models could be used to predict the extension of thermal damage, allowing interventional radiologist to plan prospectively with greater accuracy, allowing safer and more effective interventions.