Low cost microwave based breast cancer detection device

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. According to WHO estimates it represents 10% of all cancers diagnosed , Pakistan alone has the highest rate of Breast Cancer than approximately 90000 new cases are diagnosed every year out of which 40000 die, but if diag

Project Title

Low cost microwave based breast cancer detection device

Project Area of Specialization

Wearables and Implantable

Project Summary

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. According to WHO estimates it represents 10% of all cancers diagnosed , Pakistan alone has the highest rate of Breast Cancer than approximately 90000 new cases are diagnosed every year out of which 40000 die, but if diagnosed early the survival rates approach 90%.

Current techniques for breast imaging and detection are X-ray mammography, ultrasound, MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET). X-ray mammography uses low-energy X-rays to create images of the breast. However, it has a number of shortcomings. The results of mammography revealed 1,212 of 10,000 women screened turn out to be false positives. Harmful effects of mammography include overtreatment, unnecessary, and sometimes invasive follow-up testing and psychological harm associated with false positive test results. Ultrasound has low resolution and does not distinguish between malignant and benign. Microwave methods have the potential to discriminate between cancerous growths and healthy or benign tissues and not associated with tissue damages.

The breast consists primarily of adipose tissues (low water-contentand comparatively lower dielectric properties) with dispersed distributions of glandular structures (higher water content and comparatively higher dielectric properties). Cancerous tissues also have high dielectric properties, but early studies indicated a very high contrast between healthy and cancerous tissues.

The aim of this project is to design a wearable bra with integrated high frequency electronics to detect the malignant tissues in the breast. The idea is to design a portable, low cost handheld breast cancer detector based on microwave sensing principle. Antenna arrays with separate transmit and receive chains would be printed on a flexible PCB material along with integrated switching network to establish multiple wireless links using same Microwave oscillator and detector ICs. Based upon contrast of dielectric properties of healthy and malignant tissue, the wireless links would provide significant difference in their link budget. The measured results would be post processed to evaluate the health of a breast.

Project Objectives

The overall objective of the proposed project is to design a handheld, cost effective, real time breast cancer detector based on low power microwave dielectric spectroscopy.

1. To synthesize an antenna array system to detect malignant breast tissues.
2. To develop the prototype of a cost effective portable Microwave breast cancer detection device.
3. To evaluate the sensitivity analysis of the detector in a laboratory environment.

Project Implementation Method

• Literature regarding existing breast cancer detection methods, microwave detection, dielectric properties of  breast tissues, electromagnetic wave interaction with materials and microstrip antenna design would be reviewed
• A basic microstrip antenna would be simulated using HFSS software followed by the more complex antenna array designs with no mutual couplings.
• A microwave power divider network with four port switched transmission lines would be developed to minimize the transceivers installed in wearable detection unit
• The final optimized power coupling transmission line network and antenna array unit would be fabricated on a flexible PCB
• Experimental data for a phantom would be collected and analyzed for valid conclusions.
• Finally , the analyzed results and future recommendations would be documented in the thesis

Benefits of the Project

The proposed project will have wide range of benefit in context of Pakistani culture where a) women either refuse to visit hospitals or not taken by their guardians due to cultural issues unless a serious illness is confirmed b) Lack of adequate women wards and staff in hospitals.

Keeping this in context, a portable handheld, low cost breast cancer detector would be an ideal sensing tool to detect any malignant tissues in breast.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

A low cost, portable microwave breast cancer detector device would comprise of series of antenna arrays printed on a flexible PCB material to form individual Transmit-receive chains. Discrete integrated circuits for Microwave power source and detectors would be embedded along with switching network to form the various wireless links around the breast. Measured change in transmission/reflection properties of the dedicated wireless links would be post-processed to reconstruct the breast imaging.

Final Deliverable of the Project

Hardware System

Core Industry

Medical

Other Industries

Core Technology

Wearables and Implantables

Other Technologies

Sustainable Development Goals

Good Health and Well-Being for People

Required Resources

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