title: MRI-based three-dimensional thermal physiological characterization of thyroid gland of human body.
abstract: This article is dedicated to present a MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) based three-dimensional finite element modeling on the thermal manifestations relating to the pathophysiology of thyroid gland. An efficient approach for identifying the metabolic dysfunctions of thyroid has also been demonstrated through tracking the localized non-uniform thermal distribution or enhanced dynamic imaging. The temperature features over the skin surface and thyroid domain have been characterized using the numerical simulation and experimental measurement which will help better interpret the thermal physiological mechanisms of the thyroid under steady-state or water-cooling condition. Further, parametric simulations on the hypermetabolism symptoms of hyperthyroidism and thermal effects within thyroid domain caused by varying breathing airflow in the trachea and blood-flow in artery and vein were performed. It was disclosed that among all the parameters, the airflow volume has the largest effect on the total heat flux of thyroid surface. However, thermal contributions caused by varying the breathing frequency and blood-flow velocity are negligibly small. The present study suggests a generalized way for simulating the close to reality physiological behavior or process of human thyroid, which is of significance for disease diagnosis and treatment planning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Lab of Cryo-Biomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhi Zhu
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Lab of Cryo-Biomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Key Lab of Cryo-Biomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China. Electronic address: jliubme@tsinghua.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D001775:Blood Circulation; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012119:Respiration; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013696:Temperature; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Bioheat transfer; Infrared thermography; MRI; Real geometrical model; Thermal characteristics; Thyroid gland