A Low-Cost Microstrip Patch Antenna Based Metamaterials for Non-Invasive Breast Tumor Detection

Abstract: Microstrip patch antennas have been used extensively in broadband telecommunication applications. Despite their countless promises, their narrow bandwidth and the loss at high-frequency bands have limited their usage in medical applications. The purpose of this work is to design a patch antenna sensor that is a low-cost microstrip sensor which is suitable for biomedical application to detect a breast cancer tumor. The proposed antenna sensor is comprised of three layers namely ground, substrate and microstrip patch sensor that can be easily fabricated by using standard printed circuit board technique. The comparison study between two resonance frequency at 1.8 GHz and 2.9 GHz has been performed and investigated by especially accurate simulation with the presence and absence of tumor cell. Results obtained using computer simulation technology CST Studio Suite 3D EM simulation and analysis software indicates that the design can detect tumor by using phase shift detection and depth of the return loss. The result shows that the antenna return loss is getting lower in -39 dB at 1.8 GHz and -12 dB at 2.9 GHz and the phase shift detected with the presence of the tumor cell. Specific absorption rate has been also calculated (0.746 and 0.934 W/kg) and found to be in acceptable range and not exceed the standard value of <1.6 W/kg, which mean that the patch sensor is compatible for human and biomedical application. The breast phantom models without/with a tumor have been numerically simulated by using the antenna operating as a transceiver for the detection of cancer tumor cells. Two parameters have been observed, the frequency phase shift and the deep amount of reflection return loss. In summary, this study concludes that a lower frequency band will result in higher penetration depth but a lower resolution. Meanwhile, higher frequency band will provide a better resolution, but the penetration depth will be lesser as seen in the comparison study between 1.8 GHz and 2.9 GHz. The proposed work could provide a pathway on the design of electromagnetic sensors for biomedical applications.