volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

Temperature variations in tissues inside the body have been measured using microwave radiometry for more than three decades in a variety of passive body monitoring applications. In this paper we study a non-invasive prototype system for passive intracranial monitoring using microwave radiometry. It comprises one or two (two-element array) L-notch microstrip patch antennas in conjunction with a sensitive multiband receiver for detection. The particular design characteristics of the antenna are its conformality and a special L cut on its upper left edge, features that make it suitable for human biomedical applications and lead to its multiband operation in the frequency range of 2-3 GHz. The theoretical electromagnetic study indicates that the radiometric contact system in question operates well at two frequencies, with satisfying detection depths and adequate portability (small dimensions). In order to verify the findings of these simulations, experimental measurements with phantoms and various setups were carried out, resulting in the definition of the actual temperature detection level and the spatial resolution of the system. Theoretical and experimental results conclude that with the appropriate combination of conformal patch antennas and microwave receiver it is possible to monitor areas of interest inside human head models with a variety of temperature resolutions and detection depths.

1. O'Halloran, M., M. Glavin, and E. Jones, "Rotating antenna microwave imaging system for breast cancer detection," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 107, 203-217, 2010.
doi:10.2528/PIER10071002 Google Scholar

2. Zhou, H., T. Takenaka, J. Johnson, and T. Tanaka, "A breast imaging model using microwaves and a time domain three dimensional reconstruction method," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 93, 57-70, 2009.
doi:10.2528/PIER09033001 Google Scholar

3. Conceicao, R. C., M. O'Halloran, M. Glavin, and E. Jones, "Comparison of planar and circular antenna configurations for breast cancer detection using microwave imaging," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 99, 1-20, 2009.
doi:10.2528/PIER09100204 Google Scholar

4. Catapano, I., L. Di Donato, L. Crocco, O. M. Bucci, A. F. Morabito, T. Isernia, and R. Massa, "On quantitative microwave tomography of female breast," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 97, 75-93, 2009.
doi:10.2528/PIER09080604 Google Scholar

5. Chen, G. P., W. B. Yu, Z. Q. Zhao, Z. P. Nie, and Q. H. Liu, "The prototype of microwave-induced thermo-acoustic tomography imaging by time reversal mirror," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 22, No. 11-12, 1565-1574, 2008.
doi:10.1163/156939308786390021 Google Scholar

6. Yu, J., M. Yuan, and Q. H. Liu, "A wideband half oval patch antenna for breast imaging," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 98, 1-13, 2009.
doi:10.2528/PIER09090304 Google Scholar

7. Giamalaki, M. I., I. S. Karanasiou, and N. K. Uzunoglu, "Electromagnetic analysis of a non invasive microwave radiometry imaging system emphasizing on the focusing sensitivity optimization," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 90, 385-407, 2009.
doi:10.2528/PIER09010803 Google Scholar

8. Hand, J., G. M. J. van Leeuwen, S. Mizushina, J. B. van de Kamer, K. Maruyama, T. Suiura, D. V. Azzopardi, and A. D. Edwards, "Monitoring of deep brain temperature in infants using multi frequency microwave radiometry and thermal modeling," Phys. Med. Biol., Vol. 46, No. 6, 1885-1903, 2001.
doi:10.1088/0031-9155/46/7/311 Google Scholar

9. Rosen, A., M. A. Stuchly, and A. V. Vorst, "Applications of RF/microwaves in medicine," IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., Vol. 50, 963-974, 2002.
doi:10.1109/22.989979 Google Scholar

10. Duboi, L., J. P. Sozanski, V. Tessier, J. Camart, J. J. Favre, J. Pribetich, and M. Chive, "Temperature control and thermal dosimetry by microwave radiometry in hyperthermia," IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., Vol. 44, 1755-1761, 1996.
doi:10.1109/22.539932 Google Scholar

11. Karanasiou, I. S., A. Garetsos, K. T. Karathanasis, and N. K. Uzunoglu, "Development and laboratory testing of a noninvasive intracranial focused hyperthermia system," IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., Vol. 56, No. 9, 2160-2171, 2008.
doi:10.1109/TMTT.2008.2002227 Google Scholar

12. Karanasiou, I. S., N. K. Uzunoglu, and C. Papageorgiou, "Towards functional non-invasive imaging of excitable tissues inside the human body using focused microwave radiometry," Special Issue on Biological Effects and Medical Applications of RF/Microwaves" of the IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., Vol. 52, No. 8, 1898-1908, Aug. 2004. Google Scholar

13. Corbett, R. J., A. Laptook, and P. Weatherall, "Noninvasive measurements of human brain temperature using volume-localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy," J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab., Vol. 17, 363-369, 1997.
doi:10.1097/00004647-199704000-00001 Google Scholar

14. Harris, B. A., P. J. D. Andrews, I. Marshall, T. M. Robinson, and G. D. Murray, "Forced convective head cooling device reduces human cross-sectional brain temperature measured by magnetic resonance: A non-randomized healthy volunteer pilot study," Br. J. Anaesth., 100, 365-372, 2008. Google Scholar

15. Yablonskiy, D. A., J. H. Ackerman, and M. E. Raichle, "Coupling between changes in human brain temperature and oxidative metabolism during prolonged visual stimulation," Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., Vol. 97, 7603-7608, 2000.
doi:10.1073/pnas.97.13.7603 Google Scholar

16. Kiyatkin, E. A., "Physiological and pathological brain hyperthermia," Prog. Brain Res., Vol. 162, 219-243, 2007.
doi:10.1016/S0079-6123(06)62012-8 Google Scholar

17. Asimakis, N. P., I. S. Karanasiou, and N. K. Uzunoglu, "Conformal L-notch patch antennas for human brain monitoring using the SAM head model," International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications, ICEAA'09, 214-217, Sep. 14-18, 2009. Google Scholar

18. Chen, Y.-P., H.-J. Sun, and X. Lv, "Novel design of dual-polarization broad-band and dual-band printed L-shaped probefed microstrip patch antennas," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 23, No. 2-3, 297-308, 2009.
doi:10.1163/156939309787604490 Google Scholar

19. Wu, B., "Comparative study of numerically computed spatial peak SAR values in uniformly scaled sam head models exposed to mobile phone radiation," International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility, EMC 2007, Oct. 23-26, 2007. Google Scholar

20. Jung, J., W. Choi, and J. Choi, "A compact broadband antenna with an L-shaped notch," IEICE Transaction on Communication, Vol. E89-E, No. 6, 1968-1971, Jun. 2006.
doi:10.1093/ietcom/e89-b.6.1968 Google Scholar

21. Kumar, G. and K. P. Ray, Broadband Microstrip Antennas, Chapter 1, Artech House, 2003.

22. Gabriel, S., R. W. Lau, and C. Gabriel, "The dielectric properties of biological tissues: II. Measurements in the frequency range 10 Hz to 20 GHz," Phys. Med. Biol., Vol. 41, 2251-2269, 1996.
doi:10.1088/0031-9155/41/11/002 Google Scholar

23. Lee, J. N. and J. K. Park, "Design of multi-band antenna with F-shaped slot," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 24, No. 2-3, 179-188, 2010.
doi:10.1163/156939310790735750 Google Scholar

24. Lin, C., F.-S. Zhang, Y. Zhu, and F. Zhang, "A novel three-fed microstrip antenna for circular polarization application," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 24, No. 11-12, 1511-1520, 2010.
doi:10.1163/156939310792149731 Google Scholar

25. Shi, S. J., L. H. Weng, Y. Y. Yang, X. Q. Chen, and X. W. Shi, "Design of wideband dissymmetric E-shaped microstrip patch antenna," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 23, No. 5-6, 645-654, 2009.
doi:10.1163/156939309788019769 Google Scholar

26. Oikonomou, I., S. Karanasiou, and N. K. Uzunoglu, "Phased-array near field radiometry for brain intracranial applications," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 109, 345-360, 2010.
doi:10.2528/PIER10073004 Google Scholar

27. Oikonomou, I., S. Karanasiou, and N. K. Uzunoglu, "Potential brain imaging using near field radiometry," Journal of Instrumentation, JINST 4 P05017, 2009. Google Scholar

Dr. Nikolaos P. Asimakis

Dr. Irene Karanasiou

Professor Nikolaos Uzunoglu