Wearable RF Sensing and Imaging System for Non-invasive Vascular Dementia Detection

Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia prevalent in old age groups, and is also one of the leading causes of mortality. Timely diagnosis and detection of vascular dementia is critical to avoid brain damage. Brain imaging is an essential tool for diagnosis and determines future treatment options available to the patient. Currently, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Computerized Tomography (CT) scan and carotid ultrasound are mainly used for brain imaging and vascular dementia diagnosis. However, these technologies are expensive, require extensive medical supervision and are not easily accessible. This can cause substantial delay in diagnosis and potentially lead to irreversible damage. This paper presents a first-of-its-kind, miniaturized octagonal monopole-patch antenna (OMPA) sensor for vascular dementia detection. It is designed to operate as part of a portable device and can effectively diagnose underlying causes like brain infarction, stroke and blood clots at the initial stage. The developed sensor designs are validated using microwave computational software and fabricated models are experimentally verified using artificial stroke and blood clot targets inside an artificial brain model. Simulated and measured reflection coefficient results are consistent, and target objects are detected successfully. The findings show that the prototype device is viable as an efficient, portable and low-cost alternate for vascular dementia detection.