Conformal hyperthermia of superficial tumor with left-handed metamaterial lens applicator.

Abstract

With proper source spacing, low loss left-handed metamaterial (LHM) lens should be useful for hyperthermia treatment of large area tumors. With a flat LHM lens applicator, conformal hyperthermia can be performed by joint heating of multiple microwave sources (antennas). In the hyperthermia, we restrict distance of two neighboring sources within a critical source interval, arrange the sources in a specific array of general shape in accord with the tumor, and adjust the source-to-lens distance to acquire desired inclination of the heating zone for better fit to tumor region. It is shown that inclination can also be adjusted by the phases of microwave sources. A maneuverable LHM-based hyperthermia scheme is thus proposed to generate a relatively large and even tilted heating pattern in tissue.