Evaluation of Thermal Properties of Ex Vivo Kidney up to Ablative Temperatures

Thermal ablative techniques have been used in kidney tumour treatments; these treatments use electromagnetic energy to increase the temperature of the target tissue in order to destroy it. Dielectric and thermal properties influence the deposition of electromagnetic energy and the heat distribution into the tissue, respectively. Accurate knowledge of dielectric and thermal properties permits accurate modelling of the therapeutic results. Extensive research has been conducted on dielectric property characterisation of tissue, while significantly less data are available in literature on thermal property characterisation. The aim of this study is to experimentally investigate the kidney thermal properties in ex vivo ovine models (n = 4) in a temperature range from room to ablative temperatures (95–96 °C). Results show changes in thermal properties at temperatures approaching the water transition to gas, i.e. above 95 °C.