Heating characteristics of antenna arrays used in microwave ablation: A theoretical parametric study

A numerical study of the performance of antenna arrays used in microwave ablation (MWA) is carried out. Double-slot coaxial antennas in triangular and square configurations are studied. Clinical (healthy vs. malignant) and experimental (in vs. ex vivo) scenarios for hepatic cancer treatment are modeled, and further application in bone and lung tissue is examined. It is found that triangular arrays can create spherical ablation zones, while square configurations result in flatter ones. Thresholds in power and application times for creating continuous ablation zones are calculated, and the characteristics of the latter are quantified.