Smart system for breast cancer detection using radiofrequency technology

Abstract

The breast cancer detection system of the present invention belongs to the field of microwave imaging. The invention relates to a new electronic device without a driving portion, which enables early detection of breast tumours. The recording and sending of the information about the patient's breast morphology are managed by a module for communicating via a secure transmission channel. Tumours are localised by measuring the amplitude and the phase difference between receiving antennas in micro-strip technology that are spaced apart by λ / 4 (quarter-wave). The proposed device includes a multitude of modules, a central computer, microwave switches, a radiofrequency module and a transmitting and receiving antenna structure that radiates between 1 GHz and 5 GHz. The instructions stored in the internal memory of the computer will be processed in real time by a central processing unit. The assembly is integrated into a reliable structure that complies with the applicable standards of the hospital environment, in terms of radiation, hygiene and safety.

Description

[0001] Title: Intelligent System for Breast Cancer Detection by Radiofrequency Technique

[0002] Description :

[0003] The present invention relates to a device for early detection of breast cancer, using low-cost and accurate diagnostic means that can be offered to a large number of patients and less aggressive and non-invasive therapy, which will allow the reduction of mortality, which is generally due to a rapid worsening of the deficits of cancer patients. Indeed, the present invention relates to a system for detecting breast tumors by means of a software-defined radio (SDR) configuration that controls an Ultra Wide Band antenna network of the Vivaldi type, via microwave switches. Indeed, given that the cost of screening people with cancer using conventional techniques is very high, it was necessary to design a low-cost system that everyone can afford. To achieve this goal, the proposed system uses an original concept and method.Indeed, existing solutions use two different approaches, namely X-ray-based systems, where health limitations are imposed since X-rays are ionizing radiations that can pass through the body and have very harmful effects on health for long or repeated exposure times and / or for high intensities, and vector network analyzers (VNA) which are difficult to implement and have bulk and production problems. Consequently, these devices are very expensive, large in size, heavy in weight and have a very high maintenance cost.

[0004] The device according to the invention is particularly intended for recent, non-invasive and non-ionizing radiological applications which do not require contrast, for better diagnosis and better early detection of breast cancer, also a better technique compared to existing ones and presenting a danger of X-rays.

[0005] The present invention aims at applications of breast cancer detection and mainly medical imaging by non-ionizing methods of hyperfrequencies, and to overcome drawbacks of current solutions by making it possible to replace existing VNA vector network analyzers with other low-cost, low-weight Software Radio type architectures, while retaining their use in the ISM frequency band (Industrial, Scientific and Medical Band) and satisfying the requirements of the standards in terms of adaptation, bandwidth, gain and finally radiation apertures.

[0006] The system consists of three main parts:

[0007] 1. Radio Frequency Unit (Switches + Antenna Array) (1.1 & 1.4):

[0008] The Radio Frequency Unit combines two microwave switches to control the antennas in Transmit and Receive mode as mentioned in Figure 1. The holder is printed using a 3D printer and has several notches to fix the original Vivaldi antennas in a way to concentrate the flux of electromagnetic radiation towards the test object as shown in Figure 3.

[0009] The complete frequency characteristics (Su parameter, radiation pattern) of Vivaldi type antennas have been illustrated in Figure 4. Our specifications for the design of these antennas were based on the requirements of ULB systems which have good performance on ISM frequency bands (Industrial, Scientific and Medical Band).

[0010] • Sn curve (Reflection coefficient)

[0011] Figure 4a shows the schematic of the Vivaldi microstrip antenna. Figure 4b shows its 2D radiation pattern, which is directional and will allow us to illuminate the entire test object, which is the breast.

[0012] The results of the simulated and measured Su reflection coefficient between 2GHz and 12.5GHz are in good agreement and illustrated in Figure 4c.

[0013] 2. Processing Unit (1.2):

[0014] Figure 2 shows two receiving antennas spaced by a distance dcZ / 4 (Quarter Wave). Each receiving antenna receives a different signal phase. This point can be exploited by using a software defined radio card, which is capable of receiving two separate electromagnetic waves simultaneously, and by building a software circuit (flow diagram), we could extract this phase difference and perform a post-processing analysis of the collected phase data. And this, for each micro rotation step and at different frequencies.

[0015] The proposed phase difference method for measurement technique is illustrated in Figure 5. Two micro-strip antennas are used for reception and one for transmission of electromagnetic waves at a given frequency. The Ultra Wide Band UWB behavior of the antennas used is highly sought after to scan the entire operating band which extends over a frequency band from 1 GHz to 5 GHz. For data collection, as an example, the test object is illuminated by the transmitting antenna with a frequency ramp from 1 GHz to 5 GHz, via a frequency step of 0.5 GHz. As illustrated in Figure 2, the transmitting and receiving antennas are fixed at a radius of 8 cm. The platform on which the phantom will be tested is fully scanned from 0 ° to 360 ° by microwave switches.

[0016] After each transmission-reception step, the calculator alternates the antennas, in order to illuminate the entire test object, then the calculator carries out the measurement by calculating the difference of the phase data seen by the receiving antennas which are spaced by a distance X / 4 (Quarter wave).

[0017] The processing unit is the main organ that controls and synchronizes all the tasks. It collects the angles received via the SDR module and also controls the microwave switches to illuminate the entire breast and finally build the resulting diagram, as mentioned in the flowchart in Figure 6.

[0018] During the measurements, we observed a fairly constant phase difference for all rotation angles of the antennas illuminating the artificial breast without tumor. During the measurements of the artificial breast with tumor, we observed larger values ​​at certain measurement angles, this is due to the existence of tumor causing refractions of the electromagnetic wave emitted from the source antenna at certain positions as mentioned in Figure 7. The measurement error is verified to be of the order of 1%.

[0019] In Figure 8, we present the results of the phase difference measurement between the two receiving antennas for each angle position on air, breast without tumor and with tumor. The results illustrated on circle 1 represent the air measurements which are considered as calibration of the manipulation. We also note from the results obtained a decrease in the phase difference when there is a tumor in the artificial breast (circle 2) compared to the phase difference on the artificial breast without tumor (circle 3). We can advance the following physical interpretation, that is, our system detects that the breast with tumor is no longer homogeneous and this is due to the high dielectric properties and conductivity of tumors.

[0020] 3. Communication Unit (1.3):

[0021] The communication unit (1.3) is an essential module in the architecture of the proposed system, which has the role of collecting personal data such as (age, gender, weight, Date, etc.) and acquiring information from the Radio unit and the Processing unit.

[0022] Then, communicate the latter via a secure transmission channel to an encrypted database for archiving and also for possible subsequent consultations by the treating physicians.

[0023] In Figure 9 we present the complete system with the integration of the support of the 24 antennas with the artificial breast to be screened. In Figure 10 we present the real photo of the experiment carried out with our complete system.

Claims

Claims Claim 1 A low-cost radiofrequency system consisting of 24 Vivaldi-type micro-strip antennas placed in an octagonal support and two software defined radio (SDR) cards which measures the difference in phases and amplitudes between two electromagnetic waves reflected by the breast in a frequency band 1GHz-5GHz by the processing unit, and transmits this data via a secure communication channel, characterized in that said device is composed of: a) First element a Radiofrequency unit, b) Second element a data acquisition and processing unit, c) Third element a communication module. Claim 2 The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication module which uses the available radio-mobile systems sends the general state of health of the patient, his gender, his age, the date of acquisition of the data, as well as the data: phases and amplitudes to subsequently reconstruct the image of the breast with tumor and return the screening results to the doctors in real time. Claim 3 The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the Radiofrequency unit has 24 antennas in micro-strip technology placed on the sample holder for the transmission and reception operations. Placed delicately to maximize the radiation towards the breast to be screened, it is equipped with a method for measuring the difference in phases and amplitudes. Claim 4 The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the antenna network is composed of 24 antennas where the ground plane is symmetrical with respect to the patch. Each rectangular patch antenna is of the Vivaldi type with a width of 63.79 mm and a length of 50.22 mm and a thickness of 1.6 mm. Each Vivaldi antenna is made with an FR4 type substrate and its power supply is provided by a micro-strip line. Claim 5 5 The antenna network according to claim 2, characterized in that it operates in a wide frequency band operable by the SDR card and which extends from 1 GHz to 5 GHz. The radiation pattern is directional toward the breast to maximize its electromagnetic illumination. Claim 6 The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the data acquisition and processing unit controls the microwave switches to scan the entire volume of the breast. Claim 7 The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is not harmful and non-ionizing like existing MRI and X-ray techniques. 6

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