Microwave brain imaging system to detect brain tumor using metamaterial loaded stacked antenna array

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetics and Applied Physics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging Technology

Background:

• Early and accurate detection of brain tumors is crucial for effective treatment.
• Existing imaging modalities have limitations in terms of cost, safety, or resolution.
• Microwave imaging offers a promising non-ionizing radiation-based alternative for brain tumor detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a novel microwave brain imaging (MBI) system for detecting brain tumors.
• To design and characterize a metamaterial (MTM)-loaded wideband antenna array for enhanced MBI performance.
• To demonstrate the system's capability in detecting and localizing both benign and malignant brain tumors.

Main Methods:

• Design and fabrication of a 3D stacked wideband antenna array incorporating metamaterial elements for improved efficiency, bandwidth, and gain.
• Characterization of antenna performance using simulations and measurements, including radiation efficiency, gain, and specific absorption rate (SAR) in a head model.
• Development and testing of a nine-antenna array MBI system using a realistic 3D head phantom.
• Application of the Iteratively Corrected delay-multiply-and-sum algorithm for image reconstruction and tumor detection.

Main Results:

• The MTM-loaded antenna array achieved a wide fractional bandwidth of 79.20% (1.37-3.16 GHz), 93% radiation efficiency, and 6.67 dBi gain.
• The system demonstrated adequate field penetration in head tissue with a maximum SAR of 0.0018 W/kg.
• The MBI system successfully detected and reconstructed images of both benign and malignant tumors within the phantom model, accurately indicating their locations.

Conclusions:

• The developed MBI system, utilizing a metamaterial-loaded antenna array, shows significant potential for non-invasive brain tumor detection.
• The system's ability to accurately image tumor locations highlights its viability for clinical applications.
• Further research can optimize the system for improved resolution and clinical translation.