Induced Current Electro-Thermal Imaging for Breast Tumor Detection: A Numerical and Experimental Study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Physics

Background:

• Medical infrared imaging detects temperature differences between tissues.
• Tumor detection relies on subtle thermal variations, often challenging with passive methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using magnetically induced currents for active thermal imaging in detecting surface and deep tumors.
• To demonstrate the efficacy of this active method using numerical simulations and phantom experiments.

Main Methods:

• Numerical simulations of tumorous breasts in active and passive modes were performed.
• Experiments utilized gelatin-based and mashed potato phantoms mimicking breast tissues.
• Solenoid and multi-layer coils were constructed to apply currents for inducing temperature changes.

Main Results:

• Induced currents enhanced temperature contrast, increasing tumor detection sensitivity by 4 mm in simulations.
• Experiments showed temperature differences of up to 0.4°C in tumor locations.
• The method demonstrated increased tumor detection depth with induced currents.

Conclusions:

• The proposed active thermal imaging method, utilizing magnetically induced currents, is feasible for tumor detection.
• Numerical simulations and in vitro experiments validate the enhanced sensitivity and depth of detection.
• This technique offers a promising approach to improve medical infrared imaging for cancer diagnosis.