Human Body Twins for Realistic Modeling of Microwave Technique towards its Medical Use

Thesis event information

Date and time of the thesis defence

Place of the thesis defence

Leena Palotie auditorium (101A)

Topic of the dissertation

Human Body Twins for Realistic Modeling of Microwave Technique towards its Medical Use

Doctoral candidate

Doctor of Science (Technology) Mariella Särestöniemi

Faculty and unit

University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences and Technology

Subject of study

Medical Physics and Technology

Opponent

Professor Mohammad Ghavami, London South Bank University, Bioscience and Bioengineering Research Centre

Custos

Associate professor Teemu Myllylä, University of Oulu, Research unit of Health Sciences and Technology

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Realistic human body models and microwave technology: New possibilities in health technology

The development of realistic digital and physical models of the human body, known as human body twins, is a major advance in health technology. These adjustable models enable early usability testing of new medical monitoring and diagnostic methods. This is crucial for future health technology research and development.

Microwave technology is a promising method for future medical applications. It enables non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of deep tissues. The technology is also well-suited for portable and wearable applications, bringing forth new possibilities for healthcare innovation.

The primary objective of the doctoral thesis was to develop realistic and adjustable human models for research and development of microwave-based medical applications. Digital twins were created as simulation models using three-dimensional organ models, magnetic images and adjustable human body models. New fabrication guidelines for human tissue models and three-dimensional molds were developed to achieve realistic shapes for measurement-based testing.

The research presents new guidelines for the fabrication of tissue models and innovative techniques for their validation under realistic conditions. The results showed that the dielectric properties (conductivity and relative permittivity) of the developed tissue models closely resembled real human tissue. The study also investigated how the temperature used in the production of these tissue models had a significant effect on their dielectric properties. With this information, models for different tissues can be produced using the same manufacturing guidelines simply by adjusting the temperature during the manufacturing phase.

The second objective of the thesis was to evaluate the capabilities of microwave technology in selected medical monitoring applications using the developed human models, particularly in the detection of breast, brain and skull tumors and fractures. Evaluation results showed significant potential for this technology in detecting these conditions.

The human twins developed, and the evaluation results presented provide valuable information to support research and development of microwave-based healthcare technology. The importance of realistic models is emphasized for future medical innovations.
Last updated: 21.11.2024