3D Printing-Enabled Near-Field Probe for Millimeter-Wave Skin Cancer Tumor Imaging.
IEEE Transactions on Bio-Medical Engineering
|December 26, 2025
Summary
A new 3D-printed microwave probe enhances signal penetration for early skin tumor detection. This novel design improves imaging resolution, aiding non-invasive diagnosis of early-stage cancers.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Microwave Engineering
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Skin's high loss tangent impedes electromagnetic wave penetration for tumor detection.
- Early detection of skin tumors is crucial for effective treatment.
- Existing methods face challenges in imaging small or deep-seated tumors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and fabricate a 3D-printed microwave probe for early skin tumor detection.
- To enhance electromagnetic wave penetration into lossy skin tissue.
- To achieve high-resolution microwave imaging for non-invasive tumor diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- A novel multi-section 3D-printed microwave probe operating at 25-45 GHz was designed and fabricated.
- Simulations and experimental measurements validated the probe's performance.
- A pork skin phantom was used for imaging evaluation, with signals processed using an entropy-based method.
Main Results:
- The multi-section probe design successfully enhanced wave penetration, mitigating tissue loss effects.
- Experimental results showed excellent agreement with simulations.
- The probe accurately detected variations in tissue properties, enabling high-resolution imaging.
Conclusions:
- The developed 3D-printed microwave probe demonstrates significant potential for non-invasive, early-stage skin tumor detection.
- The probe's design overcomes limitations of electromagnetic wave penetration in biological tissues.
- High-resolution imaging capabilities support its application in clinical diagnostics.
