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

Abstract

In this paper, proposes a microwave brain imaging system to detect brain tumors using a metamaterial (MTM) loaded three-dimensional (3D) stacked wideband antenna array. The antenna is comprised of metamaterial-loaded with three substrate layers, including two air gaps. One 1 × 4 MTM array element is used in the top layer and middle layer, and one 3 × 2 MTM array element is used in the bottom layer. The MTM array elements in layers are utilized to enhance the performance concerning antenna’s efficiency, bandwidth, realized gain, radiation directionality in free space and near the head model. The antenna is fabricated on cost-effective Rogers RT5880 and RO4350B substrate, and the optimized dimension of the antenna is 50 × 40 × 8.66 mm3. The measured results show that the antenna has a fractional bandwidth of 79.20% (1.37–3.16 GHz), 93% radiation efficiency, 98% high fidelity factor, 6.67 dBi gain, and adequate field penetration in the head tissue with a maximum of 0.0018 W/kg specific absorption rate. In addition, a 3D realistic tissue-mimicking head phantom is fabricated and measured to verify the performance of the antenna. Later, a nine-antenna array-based microwave brain imaging (MBI) system is implemented and investigated by using phantom model. After that, the scattering parameters are collected, analyzed, and then processed by the Iteratively Corrected delay-multiply-and-sum algorithm to detect and reconstruct the brain tumor images. The imaging results demonstrated that the implemented MBI system can successfully detect the target benign and malignant tumors with their locations inside the brain.

A metamaterial unit-cell based patch radiator for brain-machine interface technology

“…To assess the antenna's performance in BMI applications, it is essential to position the designed antenna within a seven-layer brain phantom. While traditional brain phantoms comprised six layers (skin, fat, cortical bone, dura, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain) for brain implantable antenna design [ [28] , [29] , [30] ], recent studies have advocated for the inclusion of seven layers. This updated model incorporates white and gray matters, each with distinct electrical properties, resulting in a more realistic brain phantom [ [ 8 , 9 ]].…”

Microwave Antenna-Assisted Machine Learning: A Paradigm Shift in Non-Invasive Brain Hemorrhage Detection

“…The electrical characteristics of various brain layers and the hemorrhage are studied [32] The analysis and performance of a wearable antenna surrounded by biological tissues causing signal loss differ from those of a free-space antenna. Therefore, it is important to undertake an EM near-field study [33]. Using CST Microwave Studio [29], a 3-D human head model has been incorporated into the antenna system design.…”

Developing wideband antenna based on the metamaterial and dielectric silicon load for terahertz spectrum

“…In the THz and optical spectrum, they have been harnessed as a metasurface for chiral applications and medical sensing, particularly in cancer detection. [27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36] Moreover, the dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) is known as a type of antenna that utilizes a dielectric material with a high permittivity to resonate at specific frequencies. The dielectric material is typically shaped as a cylinder or other geometrical structure, which supports resonant modes, depending on its dimensions and permittivity.…”

“…In the microwave range, metamaterials have been applied in diverse applications, such as filter design, composite right/left-handed transmission line circuits, gain enhancement, and polarization variation. In the THz and optical spectrum, they have been harnessed as a metasurface for chiral applications and medical sensing, particularly in cancer detection 27 – 36 …”