Mathematical modeling of the phenomena that occur in a biological tissue containing photosensitizer

Abstract

The aim of the study is to analyze photothermal and photochemical phenomena that occur during photodynamic therapy (PDT). In this type of therapy, under the influence of the laser, reactions take place related to the transformation of triplet oxygen form into its singlet form which is cytotoxic to the tissue. The increases in temperature resulting from the laser-tissue interaction during PDT are not big; however, they can lead to changes in tissue perfusion, which can affect oxygen delivery to the tissue. The proposed model uses optical diffusion equation, Pennes bioheat transfer equation, and reactions equations for PDT. The main findings of the analysis show the impact of temperature on the value of the perfusion coefficient and triplet oxygen distributions at the end of the treatment procedure.