Microwave heating apparatus for heating fluid or tissue includes an
elongated catheter for placement adjacent to high/dielectric high loss
organic fluid or tissue in a patient. The catheter has a distal end and a
proximal end and includes an antenna adjacent to the distal end and a
cable having one end connected to the antenna and a second end. A
transmitter provides a transmitter signal capable of heating the fluid or
tissue and a first receiver receives a first signal indicative of thermal
radiation from a first depth in the fluid or tissue, producing a first
output signal in response thereto. There is also a second receiver for
receiving a second signal indicative of thermal radiation from a second
depth in the fluid or tissue, producing a second output signal in and
response thereto. The apparatus also includes active and passive diplexers
connected in series between the transmitter and the second end of the
cable. A controller controls the active diplexer so that when the
transmitter is transmitting, the first signal is coupled to the passive
diplexer but not to the second receiver and when the transmitter is not
transmitting, a second signal from the passive diplexer is coupled to the
second receiver but not to the transmitter. During operation of the
apparatus, the passive diplexer couples the transmitter signal only to the
antenna while coupling a first signal from the antenna only to the first
receiver so that the apparatus can heat the fluid or tissue and determine
the actual temperatures of the fluid or tissue at two different depths.