Ultrasonic Determination of Three-Dimensional Spatial and Temporal Thermal Distribution for Therapy Monitoring

Thermal therapies such as radio frequency, heated saline, and high-intensity focused ultrasound ablations are often performed sub-optimally due to the inability to monitor the spatial and temporal distribution of delivered heat and the extent of the necrotic tissue. Ultrasound imaging can be used to measure the deposition of heat through local thermally related changes in speed of sound; however the clinical applicability of these techniques have been hampered by the two-dimensional nature of traditional ultrasound imaging. In this paper, we present methodology, results, and validation of an imaging technique that uses a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system to track the spatial and temporal evolution of heat deposition