Utilization potential of balanced antipodal Vivaldi antenna for microwave hyperthermia treatment of breast cancer

Abstract

In this paper, a study of utilization potential of a balanced antipodal Vivaldi antenna, developed originally for microwave imaging, in the field of microwave hyperthermia for breast cancer treatment is performed. The working frequencies considered here are 915, 1400 and 2450 MHz. For two antenna systems with 4 and 8 Vivaldi antennas, ability to effectively focus electromagnetic power into a tumor region within a numerical breast phantom is investigated. SAR and temperature distributions created by an electromagnetic waves irradiated by the antenna systems are estimated using a commercial full-wave electromagnetic numerical simulation tool SEMCAD X with a built-in thermal solver. Performance of 4- and 8-antenna system is compared.