Validation of a numerical model of locally cooled tissues

Abstract

Measurements of heat transfer and temporal temperature distribution can be used as input in the diagnostic tools and methods of skin lesions, with special attention paid to malignant melanoma identification. Such approach requires mutual use of skin temperature and heat flux measurements combined with numerical simulation. A mild skin cooling process by a brass compress is considered in this paper. The temperature distribution on the skin and the heat flux between metal and tissues are measured. They are used in the course of validation study of the proposed numerical model. A numerical model of heat transfer in living tissues is described by Pennes' bioheat equation augmented with additional models of passive thermoregulation and vasoconstriction effects. The information regarding material properties of tissues and cooling compress involved in the simulation is essential to accurately solve this problem. Therefore, the main purpose of this work is to determine the accurate material property information by means of laboratory experiments.