Sensor-based microwave brain imaging system (SMBIS): An experimental six-layered tissue based human head phantom model for brain tumor diagnosis using electromagnetic signals

Abstract

The paper presents the preparation and measurement of six-layered human head phantoms for the sensor-based microwave brain imaging system (SMBIS) for the diagnosis of tumors in the head. The head phantom has been constructed based upon three-dimensional arrangements filled-up with numerous biochemical combinations that imitate the six brain tissues: DURA, CSF, White Matter, Gray Matter, Fat, and Skin regarding permittivity within the wideband frequency band (1 GHz to 4 GHz). For imaging purposes, the malignant and benign tumor(s) are also fabricated and placed in different locations in the 3D skull model to validate the performance of the phantom. After being formulated, the dielectric properties are measured by utilizing a dielectric kit linked with a vector network analyzer. The measured dielectric properties are compared to real human head tissue’s dielectric properties. After that, the human phantom model, including tumors, is validated using a SMBIS. The investigational dielectric characteristics of the brain tissues showed good agreement with the dielectric properties of the real brain tissues of the head. The experimental imaging outcomes demonstrated the legitimacy of the proposed six-layered tissue mimicking phantoms that can be used as an alternate to the actual human brain tissue for the diagnosis of brain tumors in SMBIS.