Development and Validation of a Bio-heat Transfer Model for Human Abdomen with a Relation Between Skin Temperature and Abdomen Fat

Abstract

Fat in human abdomen plays an adverse role in the metabolic and cardiovascular medical problems. Heat transfer knowledge through the human tissue in particular abdominal tissue can indicate the amount of fat layers. Experimental measurement of abdominal layer temperatures is invasive, complex, and costly. Thus, a computational model is essential to non-invasively simulate temperature variations, simplifying research, reducing costs, and enabling efficient analysis of temperature distribution. This study focuses on developing a 3-D bio-heat transfer model for the human abdomen and validating it using experimental data and results from commercial software. The model consists of five layers of different thickness. The finite element method adopted in the ADVENTURE_Thermal was used to solve the bio-heat equation. Two abdomen models: slim and obese were compared to normal environmental conditions. The present computational model was validated with experimental results and commercial software COMSOL Multiphysics. Body core temperature is found same, but skin temperature is found different for models. The obese abdomen was found to have a lower skin temperature than that of slim abdomen. The low skin temperature indicates the presence of more fat in the abdomen. This variation emphasizes the influence of fat layer thickness on heat transfer and thermoregulation, showcasing the model's effectiveness in accurately simulating bio-heat transfer. The validated model serves as a dependable tool for future research and practical applications, such as the non-invasive evaluation of obesity-related health risks.