An Investigation of Microwave Tomography Technique to Image Brain Tumour Through Cross-Section Imaging with Different Number of Electrode

Abstract

Brain tumours resulted from the irregular growth and cell division within the skull, indicating a high risk for malignancies to develop and can lead to brain injury or even death. The brain tumour can affect nervous system’s function based on the tumour’s growth rate and location. Early detection of brain tumour is essential to improve patients’ survival rates through appropriate medical care. As the current clinical imaging has a few impediments e.g. radiation-based and expensive, tomography technique is seen possible to provide safe and inexpensive technology. The aim of this research is to investigate the feasibility of brain tumour detection using microwave tomography technique with different numbers of electrodes. The 2D finite element modelling approach is applied, and the images are reconstructed using a linear back projection (LBP) algorithm in MATLAB. A different number of rectangular sensing electrodes are arranged around the head phantom in an elliptical array, working in pairs as transmitters and receivers. The simulation shows that the system is able to detect the permittivity difference, thus detecting the existence of the tumour in the head phantom. Theimage reconstruction presented promising tumour images with an 8-antenna microwave tomography system at all locations, i.e. left, right, top, centre, and bottom, in comparison to 4-antenna and 12-antenna systems.