What are the benefits of using microwave heating, compared with RF heating, for example?
Both microwave and RF methods can raise temperatures to very high levels. In a typical RF technique, all currents flow between an invasive electrode and a larger external electrode. RF methods therefore inherently have to heat a large amount of intervening tissue in order to heat tissue near the electrode. This typically results in the need for a much higher power level for RF heating compared with microwave applications (where the radiated power is confined to the region around the inserted antenna). There is also a practical limitation to consider. If the tissue around the inserted electrode becomes dry or carbonized, it forms an insulation layer. This insulation can block the flow of the RF currents and thus stop the RF heating. Microwave energy, however, can radiate through dry tissue regions and continue to provide therapeutic heat to the target region, even when local tissues begin to dry or carbonize.
