Multi-antenna fixed position system for lesion detection within phantoms

This project advances the current capability of using Ultra High Frequency (UHF) antennas to detect dielectric differences within a phantom, as a prerequisite for bone fracture analysis. The following research was conducted to investigate whether the scatter parameter measurements from multiple fixed position antennas could successfully reconstruct images of a phantom with a lesion. An Ultra-WideBand (UWB) Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (AVA) was designed to transmit frequencies between 1800MHz and 2500MHz with an end fire beam between φ= ±4° (confirming the main beam is directed towards the phantom). Simulations and measurements were performed using four antennas, eight antennas and sixteens antennas spaced equally within the system. For each system, three contrasting phantom scenarios were taken, a homogenous phantom, a phantom with the lesion placed at 0°, and then with the lesion placed at 90°. The reconstructed images were analysed, comparing the three tests, and showed that using a sixteen-element system, the lesion position but not size was clearly detectable. These findings confirm that a fixed position system can be used as an alternative to the current process, which then drastically reduces testing times.