Magnetic resonance imaging of thermal coagulation effects in a phantom for calibrating thermal therapy devices

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Abstract
A material has been developed and tested that permanently records thermal response patterns from heating devices. The material consists of a mixture of polyacrylamide and 18% w/w bovine serum albumin. Thermal denaturation is complete when the local temperature exceeds causing a large reduction in the of the material. Three‐dimensional distributions of “thermal damage” can be assessed using standard magnetic resonance imaging sequences. The material works well with microwave heating devices and is adaptable for use with ultrasound, radio‐frequency, or laser heating devices. Suggested uses include characterizing heating devices prior to treatment and developing new clinical applications for thermal therapies.