Real-time tumor ablation simulation based on the dynamic mode decomposition method.
OBJECTIVE
The dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) method is used to provide a reliable forecasting of tumor ablation treatment simulation in real time, which is quite needed in medical practice. To achieve this, an extended Pennes bioheat model must be employed, taking into account both the water evaporation phenomenon and the tissue damage during tumor ablation.


METHODS
A meshless point collocation solver is used for the numerical solution of the governing equations. The results obtained are used by the DMD method for forecasting the numerical solution faster than the meshless solver. The procedure is first validated against analytical and numerical predictions for simple problems. The DMD method is then applied to three-dimensional simulations that involve modeling of tumor ablation and account for metabolic heat generation, blood perfusion, and heat ablation using realistic values for the various parameters.


RESULTS
The present method offers very fast numerical solution to bioheat transfer, which is of clinical significance in medical practice. It also sidesteps the mathematical treatment of boundaries between tumor and healthy tissue, which is usually a tedious procedure with some inevitable degree of approximation. The DMD method provides excellent predictions of the temperature profile in tumors and in the healthy parts of the tissue, for linear and nonlinear thermal properties of the tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
The low computational cost renders the use of DMD suitable for in situ real time tumor ablation simulations without sacrificing accuracy. In such a way, the tumor ablation treatment planning is feasible using just a personal computer thanks to the simplicity of the numerical procedure used. The geometrical data can be provided directly by medical image modalities used in everyday practice.
MOSAIC Group, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 01307, Germany.
George C
GC
Bourantas
Center for Numerical Porous Media (NumPor), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mehdi
M
Ghommem
Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, GR 26504 Rion, Greece and Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030.
George C
GC
Kagadis
Division of Endovascular, Spine and Interventional Oncology, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom.
Konstantinos
K
Katsanos
Department of Physics, University of Patras, Patras, 26500 Rion, Greece.
Vassilis C
VC
Loukopoulos
Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences-Foundation for Research and Technology, Patras 26504, Greece.
Vasilis N
VN
Burganos
Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, GR 26504 Rion, Greece.
George C
GC
Nikiforidis
D055011:Ablation Techniques; D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D016014:Linear Models; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D014867:Water