Heat Distribution Model Database for Thermal Ablation Planning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal ablation treatment planning methods face inaccuracies in predicting the thermal profile due to patient-specific factors, leading to potential damage to healthy tissues and suboptimal treatment outcomes, with existing approaches either being computationally inefficient or sacrificing accuracy for simplicity.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for creating or updating a heat distribution model database by obtaining fixed properties and sample thermal profiles of ablation devices, generating a heat distribution model, and iteratively modifying it to ensure accuracy, allowing for more precise thermal profile estimation and improved ablation planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a model-based treatment planning approach is used to accurately predict thermal profiles, then treatment accuracy and personalized planning are improved, but computational workload and model complexity significantly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes and stores heat distribution models for various ablation devices in a database before actual treatment planning. This preliminary action allows the system to retrieve pre-computed models during treatment planning, avoiding the need to perform complex real-time simulations while maintaining high prediction accuracy for different device types and tissue conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified representations (copies) of complex thermal models that capture essential heat distribution characteristics without the full computational complexity. These simplified models are stored in the database and used during treatment planning, allowing accurate predictions while significantly reducing computational requirements during actual use
2Productivity
If simplified models are used to reduce computational cost, then computational efficiency is improved, but model accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs complex model computations in advance during device characterization and stores the results in a database. This preliminary action separates the computationally intensive modeling phase from the treatment planning phase, allowing simplified queries during actual use while maintaining high accuracy through pre-computed, device-specific heat distribution models
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adapts heat distribution models to specific tissue types and ablation device characteristics by adjusting model parameters. This allows the system to use a single simplified model framework while achieving high accuracy through parameter adaptation to match specific tissue properties and device characteristics, avoiding the need for completely different models for each scenario
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method provides a more accurate and adaptable heat distribution model database, enhancing the precision of thermal profile predictions and ablation planning, thereby improving patient outcomes by reducing the risk of damaging healthy tissues and ensuring effective targeting of desired tissue volumes.
Implementation Method 1
the modelling of the modality (e.g. MW, RF or cryo) interaction with the tissue and its subsequent heat production, the diffusion of heat in tissue and the resulting thermal damage
Implementation Method 2
A thermal ablation treatment involves using one or more ablation probes or devices to apply thermal damage to a patient
Data Source
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AI summary
A mechanism for adding or updating a heat distribution model stored in a heat distribution model database. A heat distribution model is usable to determine a heat distribution about an ablation device when it is operated, and can be usable to derive thermal profiles in the vicinity of the ablation device. The mechanism comprises obtaining information about fixed properties of the ablation device, generating a heat distribution model based on the fixed properties, and modifying the heat distribution model if, when used, a generated thermal profile is inaccurate.