Abstract
A novel imaging approach utilizing microwave scattering was proposed in order to analyze various properties of bone. Microwave frequencies of 900 MHz, 1 GHz, and 2.4 GHz were used during this study. This investigation’s objectives were to emphasize characteristics of abnormalities in human bones and to detect fine fractures through contrasts in bone density. The finite element method (FEM) presented here is generated from COMSOL software at different frequencies. The study identified the optimum transmission directed at the interface layers from an external microwave source. It was found that approximately 900 MHz microwave power was ideal for this application. This can be attributed to the penetration depth where the power dissipation is analyzed based on bone condition. The microwave energy was generated from an exterior antenna that was interfaced, via catheter, to skeletal bone. The power transmitted to bone was converted into thermal energy, and has led to a visible temperature distribution pattern, which reflects the bone density level, and accordingly, the type of bone under investigation. The electrical and thermal properties, including the dielectric permittivity, thermal conductivity, and heat flux absorption through the bone substance, have great implications on the FEM distribution. The boundary conditions using tangential matching of field components at the tissue-bone interface were incorporated into the finite element method. The average power from the electromagnetic fields (estimated from the Poynting’s vector, P = E*H), was assumed to be fully absorbed as heat due to the conductivity of the bone material. Furthermore, microwave energy was applied as a delta function and the thermal distributions have been analyzed in order to distinguish between normal healthy bone and bones with structural or metabolic abnormalities. The latter was emulated by different bone density to contrast normal bone anatomy. The FEM simulation suggests that thermography microwave imaging could be a good tool for bone characterization in order to detect skeletal abnormalities. This approach could be advantageous over other existing methods such as X-ray imaging.
Highlights
The health needs of patients, across the world, are ever-evolving and changing with each patient’s lifestyle and habits
The differing compositions of these bones result in different dielectric and thermal properties that can be exploited by electric fields through microwave energy
The following simulations were conducted at three different frequencies: 900 MHs, 1 GHz, and 2.4 GHz
Summary
The health needs of patients, across the world, are ever-evolving and changing with each patient’s lifestyle and habits. Detecting abnormalities at earlier stages is a current challenge in orthopedics given the limited imaging modalities that are conducive for visualizing the bone’s properties. Several examples, such as subtle or micro-fractures, early neoplastic growth in bones, and micro damage to joints may not be adequately diagnosed early due to difficult visualization with the current imaging modalities. The deterioration of bone structure, for instance, may lead to bone fragility and osteoporosis-related fractures that may occur to nearly 50% of women and 25% of men Some of these diseases lead to long-term care and hospitalization, which is both difficult and costly for the patient. Other imaging modalities are oftentimes preferred [5]
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