The effect of heat flux distribution and internal heat generation on the thermal damage in multilayer tissue in thermotherapy

Abstract

Proper analysis of the temperature distribution during heat therapy in the target tissue and around it will prevent damage to other adjacent healthy cells. In this study, the exact solution of steady and unsteady of the hyperbolic bioheat equations is performed for multilayer skin with tumor at different heat fluxes on its surface and the generation of internal heat in the tumor. By determining the temperature distribution in three modes of constant heat flux, parabolic heat flux and internal heat generation in tumor tissue, the amount of burn in all three modes is evaluated. The results indicated that the Fourier or non-Fourier behavior of tissue has no role in the rate of burns in thermotherapy processes. At equal powers applied to the tissue, the internal heat generation in the tumor, constant flux and parabolic flux on the skin surface have the most uniform and most non-uniform temperature distribution, respectively and cause the least and the most thermal damage in the tissue. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd