Thermal analysis of laser-irradiated tissue phantoms using a novel separation of the variables-based discrete transfer method

Thermal analysis of tissue phantoms subjected to short pulse laser irradiation has been presented. The transient radiative transfer equation (RTE) has been solved using a novel separation of variables-based discrete transfer method (DTM) recently developed by the present authors (Nirgudkar et al. [21]). As an advancement, the solution of RTE has been coupled with Pennes' bioheat transfer equation for determining the temperature distribution. Homogenous as well as phantoms embedded with optical inhomogeneity have been considered. The numerical model has been verified against the results available in the literature. This study clearly reveals the influence of the nature of the embedded inhomogeneity and its relative contrast on the resultant temperature distribution inside the body of the tissue phantom