Absolute Temperature Monitoring Using RF Radiometry in the MRI Scanner

Temperature detection using microwave radiometry has proven value for noninvasively measuring the absolute temperature of tissues inside the body. However, current clinical radiometers operate in the gigahertz range, which limits their depth of penetration. We have designed and built a noninvasive radiometer which operates at radio frequencies (64 MHz) with ~100-kHz bandwidth, using an external RF loop coil as a thermal detector. The core of the radiometer is an accurate impedance measurement and automatic matching circuit of 0.05 Omega accuracy to compensate for any load variations. The radiometer permits temperature measurements with accuracy of plusmn0.1degK, over a tested physiological range of 28degC-40 degC in saline phantoms whose electric properties match those of tissue. Because 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners also operate at 64 MHz, we demonstrate the feasibility of integrating our radiometer with an MRI scanner to monitor RF power deposition and temperature dosimetry, obtaining coarse, spatially resolved, absolute thermal maps in the physiological range. We conclude that RF radiometry offers promise as a direct, noninvasive method of monitoring tissue heating during MRI studies and thereby providing an independent means of verifying patient-safe operation. Other potential applications include titration of hyper- and hypo-therapies     

A novel design of thermal anomaly for mammary gland tumor phantom for microwave radiometer

Microwave radiometry is the spectral measurement technique of resolving electromagnetic radiation of all matters which temperature is above absolute zero. This technique utilizes the electromagnetic noise field generated by a thermal volume similar to a mechanism existing in biological tissues. One particular application of microwave radiometry is for analyzing temperature differentials of inside of human body to detect and diagnose some crucial pathological conditions. For the general evaluation of a microwave radiometer, we propose a new type of phantom containing a mammary gland tumor imitator by considering biological heat diffusion effects propagated by a real tumor. Theoretical researches of human tumor revealed the fact that temperature distribution of tissues around a tumor formed a Gaussian statistics. To comply with the physiological property of the real tumor, we built a mammary gland tumor imitator composed of two parts (pseudotumor and thermal anomaly) and observed its temperature distribution when it was placed inside a phantom. Our results showed that the thermal properties of tumor imitator well agreed with heat-transfer properties of a real tumor and the proportional linear relationship existed between the location of tumor imitator and the intensity of radiometer measurements. From this relationship, we could also estimate several parameters related with our phantom, such as the minimum detectable size and maximum detectable depth of a tumor imitator.     

Microwave radiometry for continuous non-contact temperature measurements during microwave heating.

Temperature measurement during microwave heating in industrial and commercial processes can improve quality, throughput, and energy conservation. Conventional ways of measuring temperature inside a microwave oven cavity are costly, inconvenient, or unsuitable for high-volume industrial applications. In this paper, we describe the theory of microwave radiometry as applied to the measurement of temperature during microwave heating. By extending the theory of radiative transfer to the case of thermal microwave radiation inside a cavity, we show that the same characteristics which make a microwave cavity suitable for heating materials also assist in obtaining meaningful temperature data with microwave radiometry. We present experimental data from the heating of liquid and solid materials which confirm the essential features of the theory, and show agreement between this method and more conventional methods of +/-4 degrees C.     

Detection of vesicoureteral reflux using microwave radiometry-system characterization with tissue phantoms

Microwave (MW) radiometry is proposed for passive monitoring of kidney temperature to detect vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) of urine that is externally heated by a MW hyperthermia device and thereafter reflows from the bladder to kidneys during reflux. Here, we characterize in tissue-mimicking phantoms the performance of a 1.375 GHz radiometry system connected to an electromagnetically (EM) shielded microstrip log spiral antenna optimized for VUR detection. Phantom EM properties are characterized using a coaxial dielectric probe and network analyzer (NA). Power reflection and receive patterns of the antenna are measured in layered tissue phantom. Receiver spectral measurements are used to assess EM shielding provided by a metal cup surrounding the antenna. Radiometer and fiberoptic temperature data are recorded for varying volumes (10-30 mL) and temperaturesg (40-46°C) of the urine phantom at 35 mm depth surrounded by 36.5°C muscle phantom. Directional receive pattern with about 5% power spectral density at 35 mm target depth and better than -10 dB return loss from tissue load are measured for the antenna. Antenna measurements demonstrate no deterioration in power reception and effective EM shielding in the presence of the metal cup. Radiometry power measurements are in excellent agreement with the temperature of the kidney phantom. Laboratory testing of the radiometry system in temperature-controlled phantoms supports the feasibility of passive kidney thermometry for VUR detection.     

A Direct-Contact Microwave Lens Applicator with a Microcomputer-Controlled Heating System for Local Hyperthermia

A direct-contact lens applicator for local microwave hyperthermia is proposed and developed with a computer-controlled microwave heating system. The applicator is a practical one that can converge the radiated electromagnetic field to deposit its energy deep in human tissues. The experimental results, which agree well with the theoretical ones, show that the applicator which operated at 2450 MHz could heat at twice the depth at which a simple and conventional waveguide applicator could heat. The experimental results using a developed computer system that supplies microwave energy and circulated cooling water to the developed applicator show that the fluctuations of temperature at the heating location in the human tissue model were maintained within +-0.3° C of the set temperature. The results of the phantom model and the animal experiment using the system with the applicator show that the maximum depth of noninvasive heating was more than 30 mm below the surface. These results are available for the clinical hyperthermia treatment of cancer.     

A new radiation balance microwave thermograph for simultaneous and independent temperature and emissivity measurements.

In the past, biomedical temperature measurements by microwave radiometry suffered from variable mismatch (emissivity less than 1) between the specimen under test and the receiving antenna. We have developed an improved radiometer, which simultaneously measures temperature and emissivity, independent by of a possible mismatch. Comparative measurements demonstrate the superiority of the new system as compared to conventional ones.     

Simultaneous microwave local heating and microwave thermography. Possible clinical applications.

A basic experiment showing the possibility of combining microwave local heating of subcutaneous living tissue, and microwave radiometry by the same system was carried out. The combined process may be used - in hyperthermia therapy, for measurement and control of the local temperature, - in some diagnoses using radiometry to detect diseased tissue.     

Analysis of correlation and total power radiometer front-ends using noise waves

A complete and systematic noise analysis of radiometer front-ends, including both total power and correlation measurements, is presented. The procedure uses the concepts of noise waves and S-parameters, widely used in microwave systems design and takes into account full noise characterization of receivers including mismatch effects. The general formulation is compatible with known total power radiometer analysis and is specially appropriate in correlation radiometers for which the effect of nonideal components, such as input isolators, is analyzed. Along with numerical simulations, simple formulas are given to compute the measured visibility in nonideal conditions. The analysis is validated using experimental results consisting of correlation measurements of four receivers placed inside an anechoic chamber. Good agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental data is observed.     

Microwave radiometry in living tissue: what does it measure?

The sensitivity of microwave radiometry for detecting subcutaneous targets was studied both experimentally and theoretically. The radiometer used a dielectric loaded rectangular waveguide antenna in contact with a lossy dielectric medium. A cylindrical target with dielectric properties and/or temperature different from that of the surrounding medium was located beneath this surface. For most of the studies, the target and the surrounding medium were maintained at constant, but unequal, temperatures (i.e., heat conduction effects were insignificant). The received radiometric signal was calculated as the location and dielectric properties of the target were varied. Finally, the radiometer signal was calculated for the situation with the target maintained at constant temperature but with the surrounding medium modeled by the bioheat equation. Experimental studies were performed using a radiometer operating at 4.7 GHz. The target was a thin walled tube through which a temperature controlled liquid was circulated, located in a temperature controlled fluid tank. The results indicate that microwave radiometry (as used in this study) responds to the temperature averaged over the field pattern of the antenna with very strong weighting of regions near the surface. A simple quasi-static analysis provides a good indication of the sensitivity of the technique for detecting cylindrical targets whose dielectric properties are different from those of the surrounding medium. A simple estimate of thermal conduction around the target suggest that thermal effects greatly increase the apparent size of the target.     

Reduction of hot spots in hyperthermia by means of broadband energytransmission

A multi-frequency scheme for annular phased arrays is proposed with the aim of attaining deep and localised heating for hyperthermic treatment of cancers. The concept is investigated using a 520 MHz broadband microwave system including an antenna array of four microstrip spiral applicators. The results of measurements on a heterogeneous saline solution phantom demonstrate the possibility of producing homogenised heating patterns outside the tumour site     

Through-Wall Sensing With Multifrequency Microwave Radiometry: A Proof-of-Concept Demonstration

A proof-of-concept demonstration of through-wall sensing with microwave radiometry is described. A multifrequency microwave radiometer with 37 channels from 2.1 to 17.35 GHz was used in two experiments to observe objects through a cinder block wall of approximately 20-cm thickness. Measured data show the clear ability of the radiometer to detect thermal contrasts on the interior of the wall. A discussion of the basic physical processes involved in the measurement is provided. When compared with active systems, microwave radiometry for through-wall sensing faces significant challenges, including limitations in ranging, horizontal resolution, and corruption by radio-frequency interference, but also provides complementary capabilities, particularly with regard to thermal information. Further consideration of microwave radiometry appears warranted for applications where thermal information is of interest.     

The performance of a new 915-MHz direct contact applicator with reduced leakage

The technical feasibility of commercially developing a safe and effective direct contact diathermy applicator operating at the industrial, scientific, medical (ISM) frequency of 915 MHz is demonstrated. The basic design consists of a circular waveguide which is internally loaded with two orthogonal pairs of forward ridges to obtain circular polarization and two rear ridges with a probe to excite the guide. Two prototype designs are considered: the small applicator (15 cm diameter) has one annular choke covered with a 2.5-cm thick microwave absorber, and the large applicator (25 cm diameter) has two additional concentric chokes to limit leakage radiation. The performance of the applicators was evaluated in terms of the requirements of a ORH microwave diathermy test protocol to control stray radiation and deliver a thermally effective absorbed dose rate to simulated muscle tissue of a phantom with a 1-cm or 2-cm fat layer. The net power required to deliver a thermally effective 235-W/kg specific absorption rate (SAR) to such a planar phantom was determined. For this net power, leakage levels considerably less than 5 mW/cm2 (at 5 cm from applicator-phantom boundary) were obtained for the applicators in direct contact with the phantom. If a small spacing (1 cm) between these applicators and planar phantoms is introduced, the net power required to deliver an effective SAR to a phantom and the associated leakage can become excessive. For the small applicator, the required net power for inducing an SAR of 235 W/kg in muscle tissue of a 1-cm fat layer phantom is about 330 W and the leakage is about 120 mW/cm2. For a 2-cm fat layer phantom, these values are somewhat higher. For the large applicator, using a 1-cm fat layer phantom, the values are about 200 W and about 17 mW/cm2. Again, for a 2-cm fat layer phantom, these values are somewhat higher.     

Dual-mode antenna design for microwave heating and noninvasive thermometry of superficial tissue disease

Hyperthermia therapy of superficial skin disease has proven clinically useful, but current heating equipment is somewhat clumsy and technically inadequate for many patients. The present effort describes a dual-purpose, conformal microwave applicator that is fabricated from thin, flexible, multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) material to facilitate heating of surface areas overlaying contoured anatomy. Preliminary studies document the feasibility of combining Archimedean spiral microstrip antennas, located concentrically within the central region of square dual concentric conductor (DCC) annular slot antennas. The motivation is to achieve homogeneous tissue heating simultaneously with noninvasive thermometry by radiometric sensing of blackbody radiation from the target tissue under the applicator. Results demonstrate that the two antennas have complimentary regions of influence. The DCC ring antenna structure produces a peripherally enhanced power deposition pattern with peaks in the outer corners of the aperture and a broad minimum around 50% of maximum centrally. In contrast, the Archimedean spiral radiates (or receives) energy predominantly along the boresight axis of the spiral, thus confining the region of influence to tissue located within the central broad minimum of the DCC pattern. Analysis of the temperature-dependent radiometer signal (brightness temperature) showed linear correlation of radiometer output with test load temperature using either the spiral or DCC structure as the receive antenna. The radiometric performance of the broadband Archimedean antenna was superior compared to the DCC, providing improved temperature resolution (0.1 degree C-0.2 degree C) and signal sensitivity (0.3 degree C-0.8 degree C/degree C) at all four 500 MHz integration bandwidths tested within the frequency range from 1.2 to 3.0 GHz.     

全极化微波辐射计系统中高速数字相关器设计

海面风场直接影响大气与大洋环流相互作用,是研究海流运动规律的必要条件.全极化微波辐射计是一种用于海洋表面风场测量的新型被动微波遥感器.数字相关器是全极化辐射计的核心部件.文中详细介绍了一种新型数字相关器的设计和实现.两片高速A/D转换器采样四路信号并通过XILINX公司新一代的FPGA-Vertex5作相关运算.同时本...     

Dual-Mode Microwave System to Enhance Early Detection of Cancer

A dual-mode microwave system has been developed that will permit early detection of cancer. The system combines the use of the passive microwave radiometer [1]-[3] with an active transmitter. The active transmitter will provide localized heating to enhance early detection by taking advantage of the differential heating (i.e., tumor temperature with respect to surrounding tissue) associated with thermal characteristics of tumors.     

Phased-Array Design Considerations for Deep Hyperthermia through Layered Tissue

Results are presented which demonstrate localized heating at depth, by a phased array in a homogeneous thorax phantom and the problems caused by a more realistic case of a layered tissue equivalent phantom. A phased array of contacting radiators is proposed for overcoming the difficulty of selective heating within the body cavity caused primarily by the muscle layer. The field from one aperture radiator in contact with layered tissue is predicted by a planar spectral diffraction algorithm incorporating transmission and reflection operations on the plane wave spectrum. This prediction process is validated by experimental results. The algorithm enables the prediction of a minimum number of phased contacting radiators required for selective heating within lung tissue through fat and muscle layers at 2.45 GHz, and provides a guide for the design requirements of a multiapplicator system.     

Heating of tissue by near-field exposure to a dipole: a modelanalysis

We report a numerical study of the induced electric fields and specific absorption rate (SAR) produced by microwave radiation from a half-wavelength dipole near tissue models, and the resulting transient and steady-state temperature rises. Several models were explored, including a uniform semi-infinite plane of tissue, uniform sphere, a phantom model of the head filled with tissue-equivalent material, a numerical model of the head with uniform dielectric properties (obtained from a digitized computed tomography image), and a numerical model of the head with different dielectric properties corresponding to various tissues. The electromagnetic calculations were performed for half-wave dipoles radiating at 900 and 1900 MHz at various distances from the model, using the finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) method. The resulting temperature rises were estimated by finite element solution of the bioheat equation. The calculated SAR values agree well with an empirical correlation due to Kuster. If the limiting hazard of such exposures is associated with excessive temperature increase, present exposure limits are very conservative and guidelines that are easier to implement might provide adequate protection.     

Evaluation of microwave and radio frequency catheter ablation in amyocardium-equivalent phantom model

A highly localized burst of energy applied to the myocardium via a transvenous catheter-mounted power source can be used to destroy endocardial tissue regions which mediate life-threatening arrhythmias. In the past, high-voltage direct current pulses, radio-frequency (RF) current, and laser light have been used as energy sources. In this paper, the use of 2450 MHz microwave energy applied via a miniature coaxial cable-mounted helical coil antenna designed specifically for this application was investigated as a means to increase the treated volume of cardiac tissue in a controllable and efficient manner during ablation. Using an array of fiber optic temperature probes implanted in a saline-perfused, tissue-equivalent gel phantom model designed to simulate the myocardium during ablation, the heating pattern from the microwave antenna was characterized and compared to that induced by a commercial RF electrode catheter at 550 kHz. Effects of variable contact angle between the heat source and heart wall were assessed in terms of the radial penetration and overall volume of heated tissue. Heating patterns from the RF electrodes dropped off much more abruptly both radially and axially than the microwave antenna such that the volume of effectively heated tissue was more than ten times larger for the microwave antenna when the heat sources were well-coupled to the tissue, and more than four times larger for the microwave antenna when the sources were angled 30 degrees away from the tissue surface.     

Radiometry in the Submillimeter Region Using the Interferometric Modulator

Radiometry in the submillimeter and far infrared regions involves problems of a type not encountered in the centimeter region which require solutions using techniques different from those used in centimeter-wavelength radiometry. The nonlinear variation of the magnitude of the black-body radiation spectral density with temperature and wavelength, the limitation of antenna beamwidth by factors connected with the size of the noncoherent detector and the antenna focal length (rather than by diffraction effects and the antenna aperture) and the heavy absorption of submillimeter radiation by atmospheric water vapor are typical of the problems normally not encountered in centimeter radiometry. The unavailability of microwave techniques (i.e., waveguides, coherent receivers, etc.) makes necessary the use of quasi-optical techniques in this wavelength region. The interferometric modulator, which has already been used in far infrared spectrometers, is proposed in this paper as the major component of a practical submillimeter radiometer. Its use as the wave-number-selection device in a radiometer is analyzed and estimates are obtained for the sensitivity of this submillimeter radiometer. It is estimated that a 0.2/spl deg/ minimum detectable temperature differential is achievable with this radiometer. Also discussed are the effects of atmospheric water vapor absorption and the sensitivity of a number of different types of radiation detectors suitable for use in the submillimeter-wavelength region.