A Simulation-Based Methodology of Developing 3D Printed Anthropomorphic Phantoms for Microwave Imaging Systems

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Electromagnetics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate performance evaluation of microwave imaging devices is crucial for clinical applications.
• Existing phantoms often lack the complexity to mimic biological tissues realistically across a wide frequency range.
• Development of standardized benchmark phantoms is needed for reliable device assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a general methodology for developing realistic biological phantoms for microwave imaging.
• To apply this methodology to create inhomogeneous head phantoms for evaluating a specific experimental device.
• To investigate the impact of various phantom development parameters and blood circulation on stroke detection.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D printing to manufacture benchmark phantoms with cavities for liquid solutions.
• Employed numerical simulations (STL files) to investigate experimental parameters and phantom design.
• Developed a numerical brain model with blood vessels to simulate stroke scenarios.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a methodology for creating 3D printed phantoms with tunable complex permittivity.
• Evaluated the influence of permittivity, coupling medium, wall properties, and compartment number on imaging performance.
• Showcased the potential of numerical models to assess the impact of blood circulation on stroke recognition.

Conclusions:

• The developed phantoms provide a realistic and versatile platform for microwave imaging device calibration and testing.
• Numerical simulations offer a powerful tool for optimizing phantom design and understanding imaging physics.
• This approach facilitates the advancement of microwave imaging for medical diagnostics, including stroke detection.