A tumour detection apparatus

Abstract

A tumour detection apparatus 10 comprises a fractal structure including a cavity (12, fig 2A) for receiving a body part, a plurality of sensing units disposed in the cavity on an inner surface of the

Description

FIELD This disclosure relates to a tumour detection apparatus and in particular to a tumour detection apparatus for early detection of cancer tumours. BACKGROUND Cancer is a major global public health issue that continues to be one of the leading causes of death in urban areas. Among all types of cancer, breast cancer is considered the deadliest type of cancer among young women. Since 2008, the incidences of breast cancer worldwide have increased by more than 20 percent, and about 2.3 million women have been diagnosed with it globally, with around 670,000 losing their lives. The likelihood of diagnosis is highest in women aged 35 and above, particularly those aged 50 or older. Early detection of breast tumours helps in treating cancer because, if left unchecked, the tumours can spread and become fatal. Late detection of breast cancer can cause painful treatment and may also contributes to severe psychological trauma. Therefore, early screening with proper diagnosing and treatment has become a necessity. The diagnosis of an early-stage breast tumour reduces breast cancer-related death rates significantly in the long term and is considered the only solution so far. The most critical point for the best prognosis is to identify early-stage cancer cells. The common detection methods for early-stage breast cancer are mammography, ultrasonography, computed tomography, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance imaging technique, and thermal imaging detection, but all these methods have certain shortcomings. Usually, these methods are extremely difficult, risky, time-consuming, have low spatial resolution, low sensitivity and low specificity and may be less effective for women with dense breast tissue. There is accordingly scope for improvement. The preceding discussion of the background is intended only to facilitate an understanding of the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge in the art as at the priority date of the application. SUMMARY In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure there is provided a tumour detection apparatus configured to receive a signal source therethrough, the apparatus comprising: a fractal structure including a cavity for receiving a body part of a patient; a plurality of sensing units disposed in the cavity on an inner surface of the structure, wherein the sensing units are each waveguide sections with each waveguide section spaced apart from an adjacent waveguide section to define a distance therebetween, wherein each waveguide section has a discrete impedance value whereby a presence of a tumour tissue causes a change in the impedance value due to the effect of the permittivity of the tumour tissue; and a control module configured to control combinations of the multiple sensing units to determine a position of a tumour. The tumour detection apparatus may include a signal processing module configured to analyse received signals and changes in impedance to identify a position of a tumour within the body part. The signal processing module may be configured to reconstruct images indicating a detected tumour location from the received signals and changes in impedance and may be configured to send processed data to an Internet of Things (loT) component for real-time monitoring. The tumour detection apparatus may be configured to receive a signal source of a microwave of wavelength (A) through the cavity and the distance between each waveguide section of the sensing units is less than a quarter-wavelength Q) of the received wavelength. The tumour detection apparatus may include a conductor for providing a perfect electrical conductor (PEC) boundary to avoid wave leakage through gaps between the waveguide sections. The cavity may be configured to be rotatable in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction by moving the tumour detection apparatus at different angles to reduce a coverage area inside the cavity. The cavity may further be configured to be movable away from the body part to reduce a coverage area inside the cavity. The fractal structure may be a fractal horn structure, and the waveguide sections may define fractional annular sections along a z-axis of the horn structure. Each waveguide section may be formed of multiple sub-sections separated by gaps providing multiple sensors within a sensing unit. A controllable element may be connected to each sensor and configured to activate or deactivate the sensor. The controllable element may be connected to each sensor through a single wire to achieve fractionality. A single wire may connect a sensor on each waveguide section. The control module may be configured to control activation of each sensor to control a combination of sensors by controlling the controllable element. The tumour detection apparatus may be configured to be movable in use to control activation of at least some of the sensors. The controllable element may be a switch and controlling the controllable element may include turning the switch on or off. Further, controlling the controllable element may increase or decrease the area under examination within the cavity. Embodiments of the technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary tumour detection apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure; Figure 2A is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary three-dimensional view of the tumour detection apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 2B is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary cross-sectional view of a patient’s breast containing a tumour; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a sliced portion with a tumour position in three-dimensions; Figures 4A and 4B are schematic diagram which illustrate various possible movements of a tumour detection apparatus to locate the exact tumour location; Figures 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams which illustrate an exemplary tumour detection apparatus according to another aspect of the present disclosure; Figures 6A to 6D are schematic diagrams which illustrate exemplary two-dimensional view of the multiple sensors of the apparatus of Figures 5A and 5B; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram which illustrates the apparatus of Figures 5A and 5B connected to a system in accordance with an example embodiment; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary rectangular waveguide; Figure 9 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary impedance mismatch between two waveguides with different dimensions; Figure 10 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary impedance mismatch between two waveguides with different permittivity; Figure 11 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary impedance-matching waveguide-waveguide taper section along with a top view of the taper section and a normalized impedance-matching profile; Figure 12 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary top view of a taper section having fractionality along one axis; and Figure 13 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary top view of a taper section of Figure 12 having a conductor to shorten the different sections of the taper. DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS The disclosure pertains to, but is not limited to, early detection of cancer tumours. The disclosed apparatus may be used to identify the exact location of the tumour in the early stage of cancer. Multiple sensors may work together to create a multidimensional fractal horn sensor that hosts a sample under test and non-invasively detects the tumour with high accuracy. The following description provides a device designed for the early-stage detection of breast cancer. However, the device may be used in a wide range of medical applications in which a tumour is within a body part that is capable of being located in a cavity of a detection device. For example, the body part may be a head or other part of a patient’s body. An apparatus for early-stage breast cancer detection is disclosed and may have the potential to be utilized in a wide range of medical applications. The apparatus may not only provide an efficient and cost-effective alternative to invasive treatments but may also simplify the overall design process. The apparatus may include a fractal horn structure that forms an antenna to convert a signal source in the form of radio waves into electric current. A horn antenna has a flaring waveguide shaped like a horn to direct radio waves. The term fractal horn is used to refer to a horn antenna that is formed of fractionalised waveguide sections with one or more waveguide sections having discrete impedance values. The waveguide sections provide sensors that may be integrated within the fractal horn structure and may be physically interconnected via wires and switches. When the apparatus is placed over a patient's breast, the presence of a tumour causes a localized change in impedance within a waveguide section due to the dielectric properties of the tumour tissue. By activating different combinations of the interconnected sensors, the apparatus may pinpoint the exact location of the impedance change, thereby identifying the position of the tumour within the breast. The apparatus may provide large area coverage and may include multi-angle scanning capability by rotating, translating, or reconfiguring the active sensor array. An external power source may power the apparatus, while a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) may analyse the received signals to reconstruct images indicating the detected tumour location. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) may display the images, enabling visualization of the precise tumour position inside the breast. The processed data may be sent to the Internet of Things (loT) platform for real-time data visualization and monitoring. The apparatus may be wearable and may provide a highly sensitive, accurate, and efficient approach for early-stage breast cancer screening. The apparatus may be non-invasive and may enhance patient comfort and convenience during the screening process. Aspects of the present disclosure provides a tumour detection apparatus configured to receive a signal source therethrough for identifying a position of a tumour within a body part. The body part may be a mammary gland such as a patient’s breast or a head or other part of a patient’s body. The apparatus may include a fractal structure including a cavity for receiving the body part. A plurality of sensing units may be disposed in the cavity on an inner surface of the structure. The sensing units may be each waveguide sections with each waveguide section spaced apart from an adjacent waveguide section to define a distance therebetween. Each waveguide section may have a discrete impedance value whereby a presence of a tumour tissue causes a change in the impedance value due to the effect of the permittivity of the tumour tissue. A control module may be configured to control combinations of the multiple sensing units to determine a position of a tumour. The signal source may propagate a microwave of wavelength (A) through the cavity and a signal processing module may be configured to analyse received signals and changes in impedance to identify a position of a tumour within the body part. The signal processing module may further be configured to reconstruct images indicating a detected tumour location from the received signals and changes in impedance. Specific example embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the Figures. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary tumour detection apparatus (10) for identifying a position of a tumour within the body part and Figure 2A is an exemplary three-dimensional view of the tumour detection apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 2B shows a cross-section of a body part having a tumour (30). The apparatus (10) includes a fractal structure including a cavity (12) (as shown in Figure 2A) for receiving a body part of a patient. In this embodiment, the body part a patient’s breast (14). The apparatus (10) is connectable to a signal source (16) which is configured to propagate a microwave of wavelength (A) through the cavity (12). The apparatus (10) may include an input port (18) for connecting to the signal source. A plurality of sensing units is disposed in the cavity (12) on an inner surface of the structure. In this embodiment, each sensing unit is a waveguide (20, 22, 24, 26). The waveguides may be arranged in sections with each waveguide section spaced apart from an adjacent waveguide section to define a distance (28) of less than a quarter-wavelength Q) of the received wavelength between each section. Each waveguide section may have a discrete impedance value and the presence of a tumour tissue in a particular section causes a significant change in the impedance value due to the effect of the permittivity of the tumour tissue in that section, thus indicating the presence of a tumour (30). A conductor (32) may be provided to shorten the different sections, creating a waveguide which supports TEno dominate modes to propagate through it. The conductor (32) may provide a perfect electrical conductor (PEC) boundary and may avoid wave leakage through gaps between the waveguide sections. The apparatus (10) may be divided into three axes (x, y, z) and the waveguides sections (20, 22, 24, 26) may be arranged along the z-axis at Zi, Z21Z3 and Z4. The presence of a tumour (30) may be confirmed by a change in the impedance value in the region Z2 of the apparatus (10). However, it may not be possible to determine the exact tumour location from the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2A as this provides information about only one axis. For exact location, the position of the tumour should also be determined along the other two axes as well as shown Figure 2B. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram which illustrates a cross-sectional view of a sliced portion (14) of section Z2 of a patient’s breast containing a tumour. The tumour (30) may be randomly located in any place on along the xy plane. In use, to determine the exact location of the tumour along the xy plane, the cavity (12) may be rotated (40) in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction by moving the apparatus (10) at different angles as shown in Figure 4A. This may reduce the coverage area inside the cavity (12) and may increase the chances of detecting the exact tumour location inside the patient’s breast. The cavity (12) may also be moved (42) away from patient’s breast by moving the apparatus (10) along the z-axis to increase the chances of detecting the exact tumour location as shown in Figure 4B. The embodiment of Figures 1 and 2A shows a fractal structure as a fractal horn structure with the waveguide sections defining fractional annular sections along a z-axis of the horn structure. Figures 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams which illustrates an exemplary tumour detection apparatus (100) according to another aspect of the present disclosure. The apparatus (100) is substantially similar to the apparatus (10) and includes a cavity (102) for receiving a body part of a patient and a plurality of sensing units is disposed in the cavity (102) on an inner surface of the structure. In this embodiment, each waveguide section is formed of multiple sub-sections separated by gaps providing multiple sensors within a sensing unit. The multiple sensors (104) of each waveguide section are each connected to a sensor of another waveguide section through single wires (106). This provides fractionality to accurately identify a tumour location. The sensors are arranged in sections with each section spaced apart from an adjacent section defining a distance (108) of less than a quarter-wavelength Q). A controllable element (110) is connected to each sensor and configured to activate or deactivate the sensor. The controllable element (110) may be connected to each sensor through a single wire to achieve fractionality. In this embodiment, the controllable elements (110) are switches and these may be turned on or off to increase or decrease the area under examination within the cavity (102). Figures 6A to 6D are schematic diagrams which illustrates an exemplary two-dimensional view of the multiple sensors of the apparatus (100). In use, the apparatus (100) may be movable to control activation of at least some of the sensors. For example, once the apparatus (100) is placed over a patient’s breast, all sensors from a1 to d4 may be activated. If the apparatus (100) is rotated in a clockwise direction in which part of the patient’s breast is outside the cavity (102), the sensors in the area a1 to b4 will turn on, while the sensors c1, c2, d1, d2, d3, and d4 will be off. Similarly, if the apparatus (100) is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the sensors a1 to b4 will be on, while the sensors c3, c4, d1, d2, d3, and d4 will be off. The apparatus (100) may include a control module (not shown) which may be configured to control activation of each sensor to control a combination of sensors by controlling the switches. In the embodiments as shown in Figures 6B to 6D, to achieve fractionality, the control module may be configured to turn the switches on or off along three axes (x, y, z). This may help to accurately detect the exact location of a tumour within the cavity. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram which illustrates the apparatus (100) connected to a system (700) including control module (702), and a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) (704). The DSP may be a signal processing module. The control module (702) is connected to the multiple sensors through the wires (106). As soon as a tumour is detected in a particular area within the cavity, a combination of the switches are closed and a signal is sent to the DSP (704). The DSP (704) is configured to analyse the signals received from the sensing units to reconstruct images indicating the detected tumour location within the cavity. These may then be sent to a monitoring platform (706) such as an Internet of Things Platform for real-time monitoring. The system (700) may include a Graphical User interface (706) which may display images of the detected tumour, showing the exact location of the tumour inside the patient’s breast. The tumour detection apparatus of the present disclosure has the advantage in that it is non-invasive and may be used for detecting the precise location of early-stage breast cancer. The sensing units detects the change in impedance caused by the tumour's permittivity, indicating the presence of the tumour. Multiple sensors are incorporated into the apparatus, and these offer an extensive coverage within the cavity. The sensors are physically connected through wires and switches and using the concept of fractionality the exact location of a tumour within the breast may be located. The apparatus is movable in use, and this may aid in multi-angle screening of the entire breast. It is appreciated that numerous variations may be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the scope thereof. For example, any type of switch may be used to connect the sensors of the sensing unit. Further, depending on the requirement, the number of sections of the sensing unit may be increased to N number. In the described embodiments, the switching arrangement is the interconnection of multiple waveguides (sensing units) with switches through a single wire. Whenever the breast is placed inside the fractal horn device, the sensors in that area will be activated, the tumour will be detected, and switches connected to those sensors will be closed accordingly. The switches help to achieve fractionality along one, two, and three axes, effectively pinpointing the exact location of the tumour without changing the position of the device. The described embodiments have a single detection unit having multiple waveguides of length KIA or even smaller and switches interconnected with each other through a single wire. The fractal horn detection device is activated through a microwave source, and a digital signal processing unit controls the activation of the switches and provides a means of communication by processing the signals. The following description provides some background of waveguides as described above in the embodiments. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary rectangular waveguide (802). The rectangular waveguide (802) may have dimensions (804) and (806) and relative permittivity (808). The waveguide's impedance depends on its dimensions (804) and (806) and the relative permittivity (808) of the material. Due to the symmetry, the input impedance (810) and the output impedance (812) of the waveguide are equal. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary impedance mismatch between two waveguides (902, 904) with different dimensions. The dimensions (906) and (908) of the first waveguide (902) are not equal to the dimensions (912) and (910) of the second waveguide (904), so the output impedance (914) of the first waveguide (902) is not equal to the input impedance (916) of the second waveguide (904). The impedance mismatch will cause unwanted reflection at the interface of the two waveguides. Hence, a portion of the energy is sent backwards rather than being transmitted through the waveguides. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary impedance mismatch between two waveguides (1003,1005) with different permittivity. Both waveguides have similar dimensions (1007), (1009) and (1011), (1013), respectively, but have different permittivities (1019) and (1021). The variation in the permittivities will produce a similar impedance mismatch (1015) and (1017) as that depicted in the embodiment of Figure 9. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary impedance-matching waveguide-waveguide taper section (1102) along with a top view (1104) of the taper section and a normalized impedance-matching profile. The impedance matching taper section (1102) facilitates impedance matching between the waveguides (902) and (904) of different impedances. When two waveguides of different dimensions are connected, impedance matching becomes an issue. The introduction of the taper section (1102) resolves this issue by allowing the electromagnetic signals to pass through the mismatched waveguides with ease. The top view of the taper section (1102) is shown in (1104). This demonstrates a normalized relationship between the impedance and the dimension of the waveguide. The normalized impedance is represented along the horizontal axis, while the normalized change in the dimension of the waveguide is shown along the vertical axis. The change in the dimension of the waveguide affects the impedance and causes a mismatch. The dimension of the waveguide varies, leading to a change in impedance from (1112) to (1114). However, the use of taper enables a normalized response to be achieved, causing the electromagnetic waves to pass through waveguides easily. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary top view of a taper section having fractionality along one axis. Five distinct sections (1202 to 1210) are considered. Due to asymmetry in the dimension, each section contains a different impedance. Depending on the requirement, the number of sections may be increased to N number. If (A) is the wavelength of the propagating wave, the gap (1212) between each section should be less than Q). Figure 13 is a schematic diagram which illustrates an exemplary top view of a taper section of Figure 12 having a conductor (1302) to shorten the different sections of the taper. The conductor (1302) shortens the different sections of the taper, creating a waveguide which supports TEno dominate modes to propagate through it. The conductor provides a perfect electrical conductor (PEC) boundary and avoids wave leakage through the gaps. The foregoing description has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the technology to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure. The language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the present disclosure be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of any accompanying claims. Finally, throughout the specification and any accompanying claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word ‘comprise’ or variations such as ‘comprises’ or ‘comprising’ will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims

1. A tumour detection apparatus configured to receive a signal source therethrough, the apparatus comprising:a fractal structure including a cavity for receiving a body part of a patient;a plurality of sensing units disposed in the cavity on an inner surface of the structure, wherein the sensing units are each waveguide sections with each waveguide section spaced apart from an adjacent waveguide section to define a distance therebetween, wherein each waveguide section has a discrete impedance value whereby a presence of a tumour tissue causes a change in the impedance value due to the effect of the permittivity of the tumour tissue; anda control module configured to control combinations of the multiple sensing units to determine a position of a tumour.

2. The tumour detection apparatus of claim 1 including: a signal processing module configured to analyse received signals and changes in impedance to identify a position of a tumour within the body part.

3. The tumour detection apparatus of claim 2, wherein the signal processing module is configured to reconstruct images indicating a detected tumour location from the received signals and changes in impedance.

4. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive a signal source of a microwave of wavelength (A) through the cavity and the distance between each waveguide section of the sensing units is less than a quarter-wavelength Q) of the received wavelength.

5. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, including a conductor for providing a perfect electrical conductor (PEC) boundary to avoid wave leakage through gaps between the waveguide sections.

6. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cavity is configured to be rotatable in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction by moving the apparatus at different angles to reduce a coverage area inside the cavity.

7. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cavity is configured to be movable away from the body part to reduce a coverage area inside the cavity.

8. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fractal structure is a fractal horn structure, wherein the waveguide sections define fractional annular sections along a z-axis of the horn structure.

9. The tumour detection apparatus of claim 8, wherein each waveguide section is formed of multiple sub-sections separated by gaps providing multiple sensors within a sensing unit.

10. The tumour detection apparatus of claim 9, wherein a controllable element is connected to each sensor and configured to activate or deactivate the sensor.

11. The tumour detection apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controllable element is connected to each sensor through a single wire to achieve fractionality.

12. The tumour detection apparatus of claim 11, wherein a single wire connects a sensor on each waveguide section.

13. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the control module configured to control activation of each sensor to control a combination of sensors by controlling the controllable element.

14. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the apparatus is configured to be movable in use to control activation of at least some of the sensors.

15. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the controllable element is a switch and controlling the controllable element includes turning the switch on or off.

16. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein controlling the controllable element increase or decrease the area under examination within the cavity.

17. The tumour detection apparatus of any one of claim 2 to 16, wherein the signal processing module is configured to send processed data to an Internet of Things (loT) component for real-time monitoring.

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