The present technology can be used to selectively heat one or more diseased regions in the
lung while limiting heating of healthy regions and surrounding tissue. This heating provides a
therapeutic effect. Selective heating of diseased tissue can be achieved by exposing the
lung to an
electromagnetic field to cause
dielectric or
eddy current heating. The present technology is particularly useful for treating emphysema because the diseased regions of emphysema patients have reduced
blood flow. The diseased regions will heat up quickly while
healthy tissue will be cooled by
blood flow. This is particularly effective for treating emphysema because the
lung has a small
mass and
high blood flow. In one described embodiment, the frequency of the
electromagnetic radiation is chosen to satisfy certain
resonance conditions of the device. In another described embodiment, a coil is used to apply the
electromagnetic radiation, the geometric parameters of the coil being chosen so that an
electric field maximum is produced in the region to be heated. In another described embodiment, a pair of electromagnetic energy
signal applicators are used to apply the
electromagnetic radiation, the pair of electromagnetic energy
signal applicators being positioned to surround the
torso of the patient, one electromagnetic energy
signal applicator being positioned cephalad relative to the treatment region and the other electromagnetic energy signal applicator being positioned caudal relative to the treatment region, and the pair of electromagnetic energy signal applicators being shaped to encircle or partially encircle the periphery of the
torso.