Novel near-field microwave bone healing monitoring using open-ended rectangular waveguides

In this paper, results of the simulated interaction of microwaves in the near-field region of a waveguide with a fractured Tibia are presented. The Tibia bone fracture is one of the most difficult fractures to treat because of the slow healing process which may take up to 5 months. The human body is modeled as a three layer medium: skin, fasciae with fat, muscle and bone. Each of these layers is characterized by its dielectric properties. These properties influence the incident, transmitted and reflected waves. In this paper, simulation results of Tibia bone healing monitoring using an X-band open ended rectangular waveguide operating in the near-field region at microwave frequencies are presented. An extensive optimization process was performed to arrive at optimal measurement parameters. Frequency of operation and the material that fills the waveguide were investigated to improve the sensitivity of detection and to monitor five different stages of the healing process. Both phase images and radiation patterns show that using rectangular waveguides has great potential in monitoring the healing process of the Tibia bone.