Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging for Burn Wounds Diagnostics

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Electromagnetics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Monitoring wound healing under dressings is challenging.
• Current methods often require painful dressing removal.
• Need for non-invasive diagnostic technologies is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate microwave and millimetre wave radiations for wound monitoring.
• To assess the feasibility of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging for burn diagnosis and healing assessment.
• To evaluate the potential of non-ionising radiation for non-invasive skin condition monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an active microwave and millimetre wave scanner (15-40 GHz).
• Acquired synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images from porcine skin samples.
• Analyzed amplitude and phase measurements of the reflection coefficient (S11).
• Tested with dressing materials and localized heat treatments.

Main Results:

• SAR images successfully detected and visualized skin and burns through dressing materials.
• Identified skin features like edges, irregularities, and variations in reflectance.
• Demonstrated capability to diagnose burns and monitor healing progress non-invasively.
• Images derived from both amplitude and phase measurements.

Conclusions:

• Microwave and millimetre wave SAR imaging is feasible for non-invasive wound assessment.
• This technology can monitor healing under dressings without removal, reducing patient distress and healthcare costs.
• Potential for improved burn diagnosis and wound management strategies.