Diagnostics of osteoporosis based on analysis of electromagnetic wave propagation in biological objects

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by the gradual deterioration of a trabecular bone, changing its density and composition. Dielectric constant of the trabecular bone, which is affected by the bone composition, changes propagation characteristics of electromagnetic (EM) waves within this medium. The goal of this work is to study the dependence of the characteristics of the EM wave propagation on the osteoporosis severity degree. A human finger is considered as the object of the study. This paper presents results of modeling the finger EM properties and propagation of the EM wave through the finger for various osteoporosis severity degree levels. Results of extensive experimental studies with EM wave propagation through the human fingers have been performed and are presented in the paper. Two different approaches to the problem of EM injection into the finger were considered: the coaxial probe method and Fabry-Perot resonator formed by the finger placed between a planar antenna and a reflecting surface. The results of the wave propagation analysis within the fingers containing healthy and diseased bones are used for estimation of the osteoporosis severity degree. A numerical criterion intended for an estimation of the osteoporosis severity degree is suggested.