Patent ID: 8568401

Claim:
A system for monitoring ablation size, comprising: a power source including a microprocessor for executing at least one control algorithm; a microwave antenna including at least one memory storage device accessible by the microprocessor and including data specific to the microwave antenna, the microwave antenna configured to deliver microwave energy from the power source to tissue to form an ablation zone; and an ablation zone control module in operative communication with a memory associated with the power source, the memory including at least one data look-up table including complex impedance associated with the data specific to the microwave antenna, complex impedance corresponding to a radius of the ablation zone, wherein the ablation zone control module is programmed to perform the following steps: measure a phase difference between forward and reflected power generated by the power source to calculate an imaginary portion of the complex impedance; measure a magnitude difference between the forward and reflected power to calculate a real portion of the complex impedance; and trigger a signal when a predetermined threshold value of the complex impedance is measured corresponding to the radius of the ablation zone.