It is well known that a finite-size scatterer has a set of natural resonances, which are uniquely determined by the physical properties of the scatterer. This is also the case for a breast tumor which can be regarded as a dielectric scatterer. Since the scatterer is naturally "tuned" at the resonances, it is expected that an increased electromagnetic coupling would take place at the resonance frequencies compared to other frequencies. For a breast tumor, this would mean a higher power absorption, indicating a faster temperature increase resulting in more efficient hyperthermia. In this dissertation, an adaptive microwave concept is demonstrated for breast cancer applications. The general approach is to detect and identify the tumor-specific resonance, determine the electrical location of the tumor, and apply the focused microwave hyperthermia using the identified resonance and the electrical location. The natural resonances vary depending on the tumor size, shape, and breast tissue configuration. Therefore, an adaptive tuning of the microwave source to tumor-specific resonance frequencies could improve the overall efficiency of hyperthermia treatment by allowing for a faster and more effective heating to achieve a desired therapeutic temperature level. Applying the singularity expansion method (SEM), both the resonances and the electrical location can be obtained from the poles and residues, respectively. This SEM-based approach is computationally inexpensive and can easily be implemented as a combination processing into emerging UWB microwave systems. Alternatively, a relatively simple microwave system based on this concept can potentially be used in conjunction with existing mammography. / Ph. D.

La recherche et développement de dispositifs médicaux avec diverses applications en diagnostiques et en thérapie ont été réalisés. Actuellement, tous les systèmes micro-ondes disponibles d'hyperthermie proposent uniquement des traitements avec une puissance élevée de micro-ondes. Dans cette thèse, un nouveau système d'hyperthermie micro-ondes est étudié pour le bénéfice des fonctions de diagnostic et de thérapie. L'utilisation d'un applicateur avec un niveau très faible et inoffensif de puissance micro-ondes permet de faire le premier diagnostic. Le traitement thérapeutique thermique sera effectué en utilisant le même applicateur avec une puissance micro-ondes élevée et adaptée sur la partie pathologique. Des caractérisations micro-ondes large bande de cinq tissus biologiques différents ont été effectuées à différentes températures avec une méthode de sonde coaxiale ouverte et le modèle de ligne virtuelle. Les expérimentations ex vivo d'hyperthermie micro-ondes avec des puissances de quelques watts à 2,45GHz ont été réalisées sur ces tissus d'épaisseurs variées. L'évolution de la température des tissus a été mesurée en utilisant un capteur infrarouge. Les simulations électromagnétiques et thermiques pour les expérimentations ex vivo d'hyperthermie micro-ondes ont été effectuées en utilisant COMSOL Multiphysics avec la méthode des éléments finis et la symétrie axiale 2D en considérant les tissus variés de différentes épaisseurs et puissances micro-onde incidente. Les simulations du modèle correspondent bien aux mesures. Cette recherche illustre la possibilité d'avoir un câble coaxial souple et adapté à la fois au diagnostic et au traitement pour une thérapie mini invasive. / Research and development of medical devices with various diagnostic and therapeutic applications have been carried out in different countries because of the great advances in electronic and electromagnetic devices during recent decades. However, at present, all of available existing microwave hyperthermia system can just offer treatment, by using high microwave power. In this thesis, a new microwave hyperemia system is researched which could have both diagnostic and therapeutic functions. One single applicator is used to measure dielectric properties of tissue with a very low harmless microwave power for diagnosis first. Then thermal therapeutic treatment will be carried out by using the same applicator with higher and adapted microwave power. Microwave broad band characterization of five different biological tissues at different temperatures with an open–ended coaxial probe method and the virtual line model has been carried out. Ex vivo microwave hyperthermia experiments using microwave power of a few Watts at 2.45GHz have been carried out on five tissues of various thicknesses. Temperature evolution of the biological tissues has been measured by using an infra-red senor. Electromagnetic and thermal simulations for ex vivo microwave hyperthermia experiment have also been achieved by using COMSOL Multiphysics software with 2D axisymmetrical finite–element method and considering different tissues of various thicknesses and incident microwave powers. Simulation results correlate well with the experimental ones. This research, illustrates the possibility to have a flexible and feasible coaxial cable for both diagnosis and treatment for a minimally invasive therapy.