Microwave Antenna System for Muscle Rupture Imaging with a Lossy Gel to Reduce Multipath Interference.

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging
• Biomedical engineering
• Electromagnetics

Background:

• Hamstring muscle injuries are a growing concern in sports.
• Conventional imaging methods for muscle injuries face challenges in cost and availability.
• There is a need for accessible and affordable diagnostic tools for athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate microwave imaging as a cost-effective and available alternative for diagnosing hamstring injuries.
• To develop and evaluate a novel antenna design incorporating a lossy gel for improved imaging quality.
• To assess the impact of the lossy gel on reducing multipath signals and enhancing diagnostic accuracy.

Main Methods:

• A semicircular microwave imaging array with eight antennae was designed and tested.
• A novel monopole antenna incorporating a lossy gel was developed.
• Imaging experiments and simulations were conducted using different gel formulations.
• The performance of the lossy gel was compared against an almost non-lossy gel.

Main Results:

• The developed lossy gel effectively reduced multipath signal interference.
• Microwave imaging experiments demonstrated significantly more stable reconstructions with the lossy gel.
• Repeatability of imaging results was notably improved when using the lossy gel.
• Simulations corroborated the experimental findings regarding signal reduction.

Conclusions:

• Microwave imaging with a lossy gel antenna shows promise for improved hamstring injury diagnostics.
• The novel antenna design enhances imaging stability and repeatability.
• This technology could offer a more accessible and affordable solution for sports injury assessment.