Design of a protocol for combined laser hyperthermia-photodynamic therapy in the esophagus

摘要

Abstract: Photodynamic laser therapy (PDT) for esophageal cancer has recently been studied in animal and clinical trials. In several animal experiments a synergetic effect was found by simultaneously applying PDT and hyperthermia (HT). In this paper an optical fiber system is described which can be used in the esophagus for combined PDT with a 1 W dye laser and HT with a 15 - 40 W Nd-YAG laser. Phantoms were developed to simulate the geometry of the esophagus using cow muscle. The spatial-temporal temperature field during HT was measured. The results were compared with calculations using a coupled Monte Carlo laser transport/finite difference heat transport model using the LATIS computer program. Measurements and calculations yield a realistic description of the temperature distribution during HT under various experimental conditions. The LATIS program allows the prediction of the effects of blood perfusion for in-vivo situations. The results show that the perfusion has considerable influence on the temperature field, which must be considered for in-vivo applications. !5