Experimental and theoretical heat transmission through a skin phantom using a Ruby IR therapeutic lamp.

Abstract

Abstract A skin phantom model was developed and characterized to study the interaction of infrared radiation during photothermal therapy. The phantom consists of a platinum silicone matrix with polyethylene oxide containing encapsulated sodium alginate to mimic the concentration of water in human skin. The specific heat and thermal conductivity of each component were experimentally measured. A theoretical model was built with heat transfer equations to simulate the temperature distribution. The experimental results and numerical simulations show that the interaction phenomenon with infrared radiation is superficial, concentrating mostly in the epidermis and part of the dermis. This successfully replicates the actual thermal behaviour of the skin during photothermal therapy. The developed phantom adequately represents the thermal properties and response to infrared radiation of the skin, allowing its use as a surrogate model in thermal imaging and diagnostic applications.