Design of Sub-Terahertz Waveguide Iris Probe for Breast Cancer Tumor Margin Assessment

Abstract

Terahertz imaging (THz) has become popular for determining the tumor margin during breast conserving procedures. Electro-optical setups for THz measurements are able to penetrate tissue a few microns below the surface. We present the design of a low-cost, easy-to-fabricate, sub-terahertz waveguide iris probe for tumor margin assessment. The proposed device can detect different types of breast tissue, including fat, fibrous, and tumorous tissue. The probe works in the 110-170 GHz range and can detect positive and negative margins to a depth of 1 mm below healthy tissue. With HFSS, electromagnetic wave numerical simulations have been conducted to verify probe design.