Research

Automatic control of finite element models for temperature-controlled radiofrequency ablation

Dieter Haemmerich^1,2 and John G Webster³

¹  Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Medical University of South Carolina, 165 Ashley Ave., Charleston, SC 29425, USA

²  Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA

³  Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, 1550 Engineering Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA

author email corresponding author email

BioMedical Engineering OnLine 2005, 4:42doi:10.1186/1475-925X-4-42

Published:	14 July 2005

Abstract

Background

The finite element method (FEM) has been used to simulate cardiac and hepatic radiofrequency (RF) ablation. The FEM allows modeling of complex geometries that cannot be solved by analytical methods or finite difference models. In both hepatic and cardiac RF ablation a common control mode is temperature-controlled mode. Commercial FEM packages don't support automating temperature control. Most researchers manually control the applied power by trial and error to keep the tip temperature of the electrodes constant.

Methods

We implemented a PI controller in a control program written in C++. The program checks the tip temperature after each step and controls the applied voltage to keep temperature constant. We created a closed loop system consisting of a FEM model and the software controlling the applied voltage. The control parameters for the controller were optimized using a closed loop system simulation.

Results

We present results of a temperature controlled 3-D FEM model of a RITA model 30 electrode. The control software effectively controlled applied voltage in the FEM model to obtain, and keep electrodes at target temperature of 100°C. The closed loop system simulation output closely correlated with the FEM model, and allowed us to optimize control parameters.

Discussion

The closed loop control of the FEM model allowed us to implement temperature controlled RF ablation with minimal user input.