High-Precision Temperature Analysis Considering Temperature-Dependent Tissue Properties in Renal Denervation

Transcatheter renal denervation (RDN) is a treatment for resistant hypertension, which is performed by ablating the renal nerves located outside the artery using a catheter from inside the artery. Our previous studies simulated the temperature during RDN by using constant physical properties of biological tissue to validate the various catheter RDN devices. Some other studies report temperature dependence of physical properties of biological tissues. However, there are no studies that have measured the electrical properties of low water content tissues. Adipose tissue, a type of low water content tissue, is related to RDN closely. Therefore, it is important to know the temperature dependence of the electrical constants of adipose tissue. In this study, we measured the relationship between the electrical constants and the temperature of bovine adipose tissue. Next, the obtained equation of the relationship between relative permittivity of adipose tissue and temperature was introduced. In addition, the temperature dependence of the electrical constants of high water content tissues and the temperature dependence of the thermal constants of biological tissues were also introduced into the temperature analysis. After 180 seconds of heating, the temperature of the model with the temperature dependence of the physical properties was 7.25 ℃ lower than the model without the temperature dependence of the physical properties at a certain position. From the results, it can be said that the temperature dependence of physical properties will be significant when an accurate temperature analysis is required.