A Compact Microwave Device for Fracture Diagnosis of the Human Tibia

In this paper, a portable system for noninvasive detection of fractures in human bones is presented. A planar microwave ring resonator is used as the sensor. The proposed planar microwave sensor is designed using the finite integration-based CST Microwave Studio and tested on a human bone covered by porcine tissues. Fracture induced in the bone was detected by monitoring the transmission characteristics of the sensor as it scans the affected region. The resonant frequency of the ring resonator has been observed at every scan point, and the values are plotted using iterative curvature-based interpolation, improved new edge directed interpolation, and Lanczos imaging technique. The extent of fracture is then derived from the image. The average accuracy of the detected fracture for Lanczos method of resampling was 98.86%. The specific absorption rate was below the minimum level of 1.6 W/Kg at every point of scanning. Portable noninvasive monitoring of fractures in the tibial bone will help in immobilizing the affected part at an earlier stage, thereby reducing the recovery time for patients.