Experimental Evaluation of Thin Bone Fracture Detection Using Microwave Imaging
Santos, K. C.
Experimental Evaluation of Thin Bone Fracture Detection Using Microwave Imaging, Proc EURAAP 16th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), Madrid, Spain, Vol. , pp. - , April, 2022.
Digital Object Identifier: 10.23919/EuCAP53622.2022.9769388.
Abstract
Microwave imaging is a promising candidate modality for the detection of fractures in superficial bones. We propose a simple dedicated experimental setup and use it to evaluate experimentally the feasibility of detection and location of thin transversal fractures in an animal bone. A single small Vivaldi antenna scans the bone along its length in two longitudinal planes, and collects the monostatic scattered fields in the 8.3-11.1 GHz frequency range. The image is reconstructed using a wave migration algorithm. Tests were carried on an ex-vivo animal leg bone with an induced transversal fracture. The results showed that transversal bone fractures can be detected down to 0.35 mm thickness. The system is attractive for a practical application because it is contactless, operated in air, non-ionizing, simple and comfortable for the patient. It can be used e.g. by first responders in the field, or in low-income settings.