Phantom and Solenoid Coil Development For Induced Current Electro-Thermal Imaging

Tumorous tissues generate more metabolic heat than healthy tissues, in case where the tumor tissue is close to the surface, it is possible to detect the tumor with thermal infrared imaging methods. Deeper tumors can be imaged by increasing the temperature of the tumorous tissue by the externally applied magnetic field. In the simulation study, breast and cancerous tissue were modeled in three dimensions by using realistic values of the tissues. Current was induced with a solenoid coil and temperature changes in the breast model were observed by simulations. At 750 kHz operating frequency, the current that can be applied to the coil, according to the specific absorption rate (SAR) limit value of 10 W/kg, was found 66.5 A. The coil designed in the simulations was realized to be used in the experiments. A series resonant circuit and a power amplifier were used to energize the coil with the desired current value. Gelatin-based and vegetable-made phantoms with added NaCI were developed to observe the effect of the coil on the breast model. Thus, the coil circuit designed in the simulation and the suitable tumor tissue phantom are realized.