Breast Tumor Detection Through Wearable Antenna

INDIANA UNIVERSITY – PURDUE UNIVERSITY, INDIANA, USA. A wearable and flexible antenna that serves as an imaging device for breast tumor detection. It avoids the 20% microwave signal loss that are observed by conventional systems based on the matched coupling mechanism. It is a good device that provides minimal discomfort when detecting breast tumor and is a good add-on for early cancer detection.

An alternative solution for mammography is one of the motivations for the development of this invention. Also, the need to develop a brassiere-like imaging system that is wearable and utilizes non-ionizing radiation that can detect breast tissues that are cancerous.

Kody Varahramyan and colleagues – Parvin Ghane, Mangilal Agarwal, Sudhir Shrestha, Azadeh Hemati developed this wearable antenna that employs a planar micro strip antenna design on a flexible base. It is optimized so that it can operate in direct skin contact.

Their tests with tumor phantoms and breast showed that the signal received from a tumor is 3 times the strength from a healthy tissue. Also, the signal is well defined in relation to the the background noise level in the image.

The wearable antenna works as a complementary system to mammography. The invention does not intend to replace it. The new system can absolutely detect breast cancer ahead of the other systems. Most importantly, it is cost-effective.

Regular breast screening for the early detection of breast cancer undoubtedly increases the survival rate among breast cancer patients. The invention can provide this early detection need. Currently, the team is working on a software that will convert the microwave signals from the system into 2D and 3D images of possible breast tumors.