Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

Spring 5-31-2013

Degree Name

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering - (M.S.)

Department

Biomedical Engineering

First Advisor

Mesut Sahin

Second Advisor

Bryan J. Pfister

Third Advisor

Max Roman

Fourth Advisor

Yahia M. Al-Smadi

Abstract

Near infrared (NIR) lasers have been used in various types of medical applications. Heating is one of the most important concerns in the neural tissue when illuminated with NIR light. Rodent models are frequently used to study laser-tissue interactions. As a part of ongoing research project in the neural interface laboratory, direct measurements of temperature in the rat brain cortex as a response to a pulsed sequence of NIR laser beam are available. In this thesis, finite element modeling approach is used to model and simulate the temperature elevation in neural tissue under the effect of NIR laser pulsing. Steady state and transient analyses are conducted, and spatio-temporal temperature maps are generated. The effect of pulse frequency is investigated. The results are compared with experimental data and found to be in good agreement. The finite element modeling allows studying various variables on the heating effect of NIR in neural tissue that would otherwise be very difficult to investigate experimentally.

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