Particle swarm optimization solution for roll-off control in radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors: Optimal search for PID controller tuning

PLoS One. 2024 Jun 26;19(6):e0300445. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300445. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

The study investigates the efficacy of a bioinspired Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) approach for PID controller tuning in Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for liver tumors. Ex-vivo experiments were conducted, yielding a 9th order continuous-time transfer function. PSO was applied to optimize PID parameters, achieving outstanding simulation results: 0.605% overshoot, 0.314 seconds rise time, and 2.87 seconds settling time for a unit step input. Statistical analysis of 19 simulations revealed PID gains: Kp (mean: 5.86, variance: 4.22, standard deviation: 2.05), Ki (mean: 9.89, variance: 0.048, standard deviation: 0.22), Kd (mean: 0.57, variance: 0.021, standard deviation: 0.14) and ANOVA analysis for the 19 experiments yielded a p-value ≪ 0.05. The bioinspired PSO-based PID controller demonstrated remarkable potential in mitigating roll-off effects during RFA, reducing the risk of incomplete tumor ablation. These findings have significant implications for improving clinical outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma management, including reduced recurrence rates and minimized collateral damage. The PSO-based PID tuning strategy offers a practical solution to enhance RFA effectiveness, contributing to the advancement of radiofrequency ablation techniques.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / surgery
  • Catheter Ablation / methods
  • Computer Simulation
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms* / surgery
  • Radiofrequency Ablation* / methods

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the University of Brasília (UnB) and the Fundação de Empreendimentos Científicos e Tecnológicos (FINATEC), project number 7426. We also thank the support of Federal Deputy Erika Kokay.