There is an undisputed need for temperature-field reconstruction during minimally invasive cryosurgery. The current line of research focuses on developing miniature, wireless, implantable, temperature sensors to enable temperature-field reconstruction in real time. This project combines two parallel efforts: (i) to develop the hardware necessary for implantable sensors, and (ii) to develop mathematical techniques for temperature-field reconstruction in real time—the subject matter of the current study. In particular, this study proposes an approach for temperature-field reconstruction combining data obtained from medical imaging, cryoprobe-embedded sensors, and miniature, wireless, implantable sensors, the development of which is currently underway. This study discusses possible strategies for laying out implantable sensors and approaches for data integration. In particular, prostate cryosurgery is presented as a developmental model and a two-dimensional proof-of-concept is discussed. It is demonstrated that the lethal temperature can be predicted to a significant degree of certainty with implantable sensors and the technique proposed in the current study, a capability that is yet unavailable.

This study is a part of an ongoing effort to develop means to improve monitoring and control of cryosurgery—the destruction of undesired biological tissues by freezing. Cryosurgery is being developed as a minimally invasive procedure since the mid 1980’s, following technological developments in medical imaging. Prostate cryosurgery was the first to become a routine minimally invasive cryosurgical procedure [1].

This study presents a new device prototype for visualization of physical effects associated with large-scale cryopreservation—the preservation of tissues at very low temperatures. Cryopreservation represents the only method for long-term preservation of biomaterials. While techniques for cryopreservation of single cells and small tissue structures are well established, cryopreservation techniques for bulky tissues and organs are still at the developmental stage. Critical to the success of cryopreservation is the control of ice formation—the cornerstone of cryoinjury. One of the most promising techniques for large-scale cryopreservation is known as vitrification, where the crystal phase is suppressed, and the biological material is trapped in a glassy-like state (vitreous in Latin means glassy) [1].

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