SAR characteristics of three types of contact flexible microstrip applicators for superficial hyperthermia

The Effective Field Sizes (EFS) and the Effective Heating Depths (EDH) of Contact Flexible Microstrip Applicators (CFMA), tuned at a frequency of 434 MHz, were determined on two fat/muscle phantoms. One phantom was box-shaped with a flat top layer of 1 cm thick artificial fat and the other one a tube of which the cross-section was elliptically shaped (25 x 36 cm) having a fat equivalent shell of 1 cm thick. For the muscle material a 6 g/l saline (NaCl) solution was used. On the flat rectangular phantom, the effective field size at 1 cm depth in saline was measured to be 4.7 x 13.5 cm, 17.5 x 17.7 cm and 12.5 x 14.0 cm for the 1H-applicator, the 3H-applicator and the SH-applicator, respectively. For the 3H- and the 5H-applicator, the Specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution at 1 cm depth showed a single maximum of SAR for a thin bolus, which split into two separate 'hot spots' for a thicker bolus. The Effective Heating Depths in the phantom with a flat surface were of the order of that of a plane wave (approximate to 1.4 cm), whereas a larger EHD of 2.4 cm was achieved below the 3H-applicator bent to fit the elliptical phantom. Due to the large effective field size and the 'flatness' of the SAR distribution, the applicators 3 H and 5 H are suitable to adequately treat large superficial tumours.