Bound water and the effects on tissue dielectric properties for imaging purposes

Abstract

We have collected previously published tissue dielectric property data along with water content data to assess correlation between the two. Earlier tissue and protein solution studies have demonstrated at low frequencies that the deviation of the conductivity from standard mixture laws is most likely due to the presence of bound water in solution. This retrospective study examines how well the tissue permittivity and conductivity at microwave frequencies fit the Maxwell-Fricke mixture laws and whether the results are consistent with earlier studies. Differences between the fitting characteristics of the two properties may allow for development of a microwave based bound water index as is currently used in near infrared spectroscopy.