Abstract-We present a computational study comparing the performance of narrowband (NB) microwave hyperthermia for breast cancer treatment with a recently proposed ultra-wideband (UWB) approach. Space-time beamforming is used to preprocess input signals from both UWB and NB sources. The train of UWB pulses or the NB sinusoidal signals are then transmitted simultaneously from multiple antennas into the breast. Performance is evaluated using finite-difference time-domain electromagnetic (EM) and thermal simulations with realistic numerical breast phantoms derived from magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of the breast. We use three methods of mapping MRI data to complex permittivity data to account for uncertainty in the embodiment of the dielectric properties transitions in heterogeneous breast tissue. EM power-density deposition profiles and temperature profiles are compared for the UWB and NB cases in the three different breast phantoms. Dominant mechanisms that influence the efficacy of focusing UWB and NB signals in the breast are identified. The results of this study suggest that, while NB focusing performs reasonably well when the excitation frequency is optimized, UWB focusing consistently performs better, offering the potential for tighter focusing and greater reduction of hot spots, particularly in breast tissue, which exhibits distinct dielectric-properties boundaries within the tissue heterogeneity.Index Terms-Breast cancer, electromagnetic (EM) hyperthermia, finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, microwave imaging, space-time beamforming, ultra-wideband (UWB) radar.

Abstract-Gigahertz transverse electromagnetic (GTEM) transmission cells have been previously used to experimentally study exposure of biological cells to ultra-wideband (UWB), monopolar, electromagnetic pulses. Using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations we examine the time-dependent electric field waveforms and energy dose spatial distributions within a finite volume of biological cell culture medium during these experiments. The simulations show that when one or more flasks containing cell culture media are placed inside the GTEM cell, the uniform fields of the empty GTEM cell are significantly perturbed. The fields inside the cell culture medium, representing the fields to which the biological cells are exposed, are no longer monopolar and are spatially highly nonuniform. These effects result from a combination of refraction and distortion of the incident wave, combined with excitation of resonant eigenmodes within the cell culture medium volume. The simulations show that these distortions of the incident waveform may be mitigated by supporting the sample on a high permittivity pedestal and modifying the incident waveform to more closely approximate a Gaussian pulse. Under all simulated conditions, the estimated maximum temperature rises are completely negligible, ensuring that any experimentally observed unusual cell function or histopathology can be associated with nonthermal effects.Index Terms-Dosimetry, FDTD methods, gigahertz transverse electromagnetic (GTEM) cell, ultra-wideband (UWB) exposure.