The purpose of this review is to summarise a literature survey on thermal thresholds for tissue damage. This review covers published literature for the consecutive years from 2002-2009. The first review on this subject was published in 2003. It included an extensive discussion of how to use thermal dosimetric principles to normalise all time-temperature data histories to a common format. This review utilises those same principles to address sensitivity of a variety of tissues, but with particular emphasis on brain and testis. The review includes new data on tissues that were not included in the original review. Several important observations have come from this review. First, a large proportion of the papers examined for this review were discarded because time-temperature history at the site of thermal damage assessment was not recorded. It is strongly recommended that future research on this subject include such data. Second, very little data is available examining chronic consequences of thermal exposure. On a related point, the time of assessment of damage after exposure is critically important for assessing whether damage is transient or permanent. Additionally, virtually no data are available for repeated thermal exposures which may occur in certain recreational or occupational activities. For purposes of regulatory guidelines, both acute and lasting effects of thermal damage should be considered.

/pdf/thresholds-for-thermal-damage-to-normal-tissues-an-update-5d2iyey5rv.pdf

Thresholds for thermal damage to normal tissues: An update

Introduction Review of Some Background Materials General Formulation of the Cavity Model Characteristics of the Rectangular Patch Characteristics of the Circular Patch The Annular-Ring and the Equilaterial Triangular Patch Introduction to Full Wave Analysis of Microstrip Antennas Some Methods of Tuning the Resonant Frequencies of Patch Antennas Broadbanding Techniques Size Reduction Techniques Dual and Multi-Band Designs Dual Polarized Patch Antenna Designs Circular Polarization Microstrip Arrays

Microstrip Patch Antennas

Objective
To define thresholds of safe local temperature increases for MR equipment that exposes patients to radiofrequency fields of high intensities for long duration. These MR systems induce heterogeneous energy absorption patterns inside the body and can create localised hotspots with a risk of overheating.

/pdf/cem43-c-thermal-dose-thresholds-a-potential-guide-for-1mxdks3dr8.pdf

CEM43°C thermal dose thresholds: a potential guide for magnetic resonance radiofrequency exposure levels?

Introduction: Hyperthermia induced by microwave diathermy raises the temperature of deep tissues from 418 Ct o 458C using electromagnetic power. Microwave diathermy is used in the management of superficial tumours with conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy and, recently, its use has been successfully extended to physical medicine and sports traumatology in Central and Southern Europe. Methods: We searched the literature for relevant studies. Most of the published studies in these fields have used 434 and 915 microwave diathermy, as these wavelengths are most effective. Results: Hyperthermia induced by microwave diathermy into tissue can stimulate repair processes, increase drug activity, allow more efficient relief from pain, help in the removal of toxic wastes, increase tendon extensibility and reduce muscle and joint stiffness. Moreover, hyperthermia induces hyperaemia, improves local tissue drainage, increases metabolic rate and induces alterations in the cell membrane. Conclusions: The biological mechanism that regulates the relationship between the thermal dose and the healing process of soft tissues with low or high water content or with low or high blood perfusion is still under study. Microwave diathermy treatment at 434 and 915 MHz can be effective in the short-term management of musculo-skeletal injuries.

Hyperthermia induced by microwave diathermy in the management of muscle and tendon injuries.

Electrical, magnetic, photomechanical and cavitational waves to overcome skin barrier for transdermal drug delivery.

Objective: To investigate the changes in temperature of human muscle during microwave hyperthermia. Methods: Skin surface and muscle temperatures were measured in 11 healthy adult men (mean (SD) age 24.3 (2.2) years; height 174.2 (6.1) cm; weight 70.0 (5.3) kg) during a 30 min exposure of the thigh to 434 MHz microwave hyperthermia. Skin temperature was maintained at the pilot temperature of 40°C, and the temperature of the water in the bolus was 38°C. The peak power output was set at 60 W and controlled automatically to maintain the pilot temperature. The temperature was measured in the vastus lateralis muscle at an average muscle depth of 2.0 (0.2) cm, using a 23 G Teflon-shielded thermocouple. Biopsy specimens were obtained for light microscopy from three subjects. A muscle-equivalent phantom was used to evaluate the vertical heating pattern. Results: Both skin and muscle temperatures increased from baseline, and muscle temperature was higher than skin temperature (skin temperature 39.2 (0.5)°C, temperature rise 5.0 (1.5)°C; muscle temperature 43.7 (0.8)°C, temperature rise 8.9 (1.4)°C). At the end of the hyperthermia treatment, muscle temperature decreased to 39.8 (0.9)°C, but was still 4.8 (1.5)°C higher than the baseline. No signs of muscle damage were observed on the basis of the blood creatine kinase activity and histological sections. Conclusions: The results show that the 434 MHz microwave hyperthermia treatment increased and maintained muscle temperature locally by 6.3–11.4°C without muscle damage. These findings suggest that the microwave hyperthermia system provides effective and safe treatment.

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/41/7/425.full.pdf

Valentina Giovannini

Papers

Hyperthermia induced by microwave diathermy in the management of muscle and tendon injuries.

Changes in muscle temperature induced by 434-MHz microwave hyperthermia

Effects of Microwave Hyperthermia at Two Different Frequencies (434 and 2450 MHz) on Human Muscle Temperature.