Method and system for monitoring tissue temperature

A system for determining tissue temperature within a region of interest comprising an object of interest and a reference that are separated by at least one boundary, the system comprising:

• a thermoacoustic imaging system comprising an adjustable radio frequency (RF) applicator configured to emit RF energy pulses into the tissue region of interest and heat tissue therein and an acoustic receiver configured to receive bipolar acoustic signals generated in response to heating of tissue in the region of interest;
• and
• one or more processors configured to:
• process at least one received bipolar acoustic signal generated in the region of interest in response to the RF energy pulses to determine a peak-to-peak amplitude thereof;
• and
• calculating a temperature at the at least one boundary using the peak-to-peak amplitude of the at least one bipolar acoustic signal.

A method of monitoring tissue temperature, the method comprising:

• (i) directing, using a radio frequency (RF) applicator, one or more RF energy pulses into the tissue region of interest, the tissue region of interest comprising an object of interest and at least one reference that are separated by at least one boundary;
• (ii) detecting, using an acoustic receiver, at least one bipolar acoustic signal generated in the region of interest in response to the RF energy pulses and processing the at least one bipolar acoustic signal to determine a peak-to-peak amplitude thereof;
• (iii) calculating a temperature at the at least one boundary using the peak-to-peak amplitude of the at least one bipolar acoustic signal;
• and
• (iv) repeating the directing, detecting and calculating to monitor the temperature at the at least one boundary.