A Novel Method of Deep Tissue Biomedical Imaging Using a Wearable Sensor

We present a novel monitoring method for continuous real-time imaging of deep human tissues using a body-worn sensor. The sensor operates at 40 MHz, and consists of a set of transmitting and receiving probes placed around the human body. For the first time, this portable and body-worn sensor provides for deep tissue pixel-by-pixel imaging. A demonstration of the concept is carried out by retrieving a 16-pixel image of the underlying cross section with accuracy better than 6%. This paper also provides a theoretical analysis for assessing the sensor’s accuracy. The analysis is based on line-source scattering by a two-layer cylindrical model of the human torso. Full-wave simulations are then carried out to demonstrate the sensor’s imaging capabilities pixel-by-pixel. Overall, the proposed sensor can be the basis for a portable and low-cost alternative to the conventional imaging techniques suitable for a wide range of applications (among them, the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and tumor growth monitoring).