Microwave characterization of breast mimicking phantom materials

Abstract

This project focuses on the microwave characterization of Breast Mimicking phantom materials. Samples are fabricated by the author and measurements of the dielectric properties are performed. The recipe for the phantom materials are obtained from literatures’ and experimental results obtained are compared against those published.

With regards to the phantom materials, they are recreated through the steps stated in the literatures with materials chosen close to those used in literatures as possible as not all of the items stated in the paper are obtainable with the given time frame. Substitutes which are chosen have properties close to those of the actual type of materials needed.

In this project, apart from using the suggested safflower oil as stated in one of the literatures, other oils such as palm oil and rice bran oil are being investigated to see if there is any difference in the dielectric properties of the phantom materials fabricated with these three types of oils.

Findings on the measured dielectric properties of the breast mimicking materials created are discussed and summarized and from it, we can derive the proportion of oil to be used to simulate different types of breast tissues such as benign or malignant.