Microwave Angiography by Ultra-Wideband Sounding: A Preliminary Investigation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Electromagnetics

Background:

• Current angiography techniques (ultrasound, CT, MRI) have limitations including operator dependency, high cost, and limited penetration depth.
• Near-infrared spectroscopy cannot image deep arteries effectively.
• Microwave technology offers a potential solution balancing cost, speed, penetration, and resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using microwave signals for monitoring arteries.
• To develop a method for imaging dynamic arterial structures using microwave technology.

Main Methods:

• A homogenous phantom mimicking body tissue with pulsating elastic tubes representing arteries was constructed.
• A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) ultra-wideband (UWB) system captured reflected microwave signals.
• Background subtraction removed static clutter, and Fourier transform with delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming processed signals at the heartbeat rate.

Main Results:

• The study successfully generated lateral, longitudinal, and motion mode (M-mode) images of the phantom arteries.
• The processed microwave signals provided time-series data of arterial pulsations.
• The results indicate the potential for detailed imaging of dynamic arterial segments.

Conclusions:

• Microwave-based angiography is a feasible technique for monitoring arteries.
• The developed method can suppress static interference and image dynamic arterial motion.
• This technology holds potential for diagnostic applications in cardiology and neurology.