S.G. Vesnin1, M.K. Sedankin2, V.Yu. Leushin3, S.V. Agasieva4, I.O. Porokhov5, G.A. Gudkov6, M.I. Lazarenko7

1,3,5 Рeoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) (Moscow, Russia)

2 Рeoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), State Research Center – Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency (SRC – FMBC) (Moscow, Russia)

4 Technical Sciences Рeoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) (Moscow, Russia)

6 Hyperion Ltd. (Moscow, Russia)

7 City clinical hospital №1 n.a. N.I. Pirogov (Moscow, Russia)

Problem: When measuring the temperature of biological tissues by microwave radiometry, the antenna-applicator of the microwave radiometer is in direct contact with the patient's skin. The initial temperature of the antenna is often close to the ambient temperature. During measurements, the biological tissue located near the malignant tumor is cooled by the antenna and the real temperature distribution in biological tissues is distorted which reduces the reliability of the diagnosis of pathological changes in biological tissues.

Purpose: The purpose of this work is to evaluate the influence of the design and thermophysical parameters of the applicator antenna on the results of measuring the temperatures of internal biological tissues by microwave radiometry.

Results: As a result of numerical solution of Maxwell's equations, the heat and mass transfer equations for a breast model in the form of a multilayer structure, taking into account blood flow and heat release of a malignant tumor, brightness temperatures of internal tissues and skin temperatures of the breast in the presence of a tumor and in the absence of a tumor are calculated. The influence of the antenna on the results of measuring the temperature of biological tissues was evaluated for 6 different antennas having different geometric dimensions and made of different materials. 

Practical significance: The conducted researches have shown that antennas made of materials with high thermal conductivity (22XC and PDMS) and having a large height (40 mm) have the greatest influence on the measured temperature. It is shown that for an antenna made of material 22 XC with dimensions ø30 x 40mm, the decrease in skin temperature is 3.7 - 4.1 ºС, and the decrease in radio brightness temperature is 1.9 - 2 ºС. The use of such antennas in medical practice is recommended only if there is a system for automatically heating the antenna to the temperature of the researching biological tissues. The influence of the antenna on the results of measuring the temperatures of biological tissues is much less for printed and conformal textile antennas.

Scope of the results: The obtained research results can be used in the design of a wide class of applicator antennas used in microwave radiometry.

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