Determining Thyroid Cancer Malignancy Through the Use of Microwave Imaging

This study examines the potential of microwave imaging to identify and differentiate between healthy and malignant thyroid nodules. The technique involved transmitting electromagnetic waves ranging from 3 to 9 GHz towards a numerical neck phantom using dielectric resonator antennas. Variations in permittivity and conductivity between healthy and malignant tissues were detected through changes in return loss and S-parameter graph shifts, which were captured using received antennas. The CST software was used to simulate nodules of different sizes within the neck phantom to test the theory. The results of the study show that microwave imaging can successfully detect follicular carcinoma within the neck phantom, which comprises skin, fat, spine, arteries, veins, lymph nodes, and muscle.