Tumour Blood Flow Following Local Ultrasound Heating Computed from Thermal Clearance Curves

Thermal clearance curves following termination of ultrasound-induced hyperthermia in human mammary carcinomas implanted into the flanks of nude rats were studied. They were found to be monoexponential in form, both with and without blood flow. From the difference between the inverse time constants with and without flow, the tumour blood flow rate could be calculated. Blood flow was found to increase with very short exposure times at the therapeutic hyperthermia temperature and subsequently decrease as the exposure time increased. A higher therapeutic hyperthermia temperature augmented this effect.