Near-Field Microwave Imaging and Sensing for Medical Applications: Challenges and Opportunities

#diagnostics #electromagnetics #Antennas #brain #breast #breast-cancer
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Microwaves are no longer confined to communication and radar—they are increasingly being harnessed to probe the human body. Their ability to safely, non-ionizing, and non-destructively penetrate biological tissues makes them powerful tools for medical diagnostics and monitoring. In recent years, near-field microwave imaging and sensing have emerged as promising techniques that blend electromagnetic theory, antenna design, and advanced signal processing with clinical relevance. This talk will explore how near-field microwave systems can “see” beyond the surface—detecting, classifying, and monitoring pathological conditions through subtle dielectric contrasts in biological tissues.

 

At the heart of this technology lies a simple yet powerful idea: the dielectric properties of tissues change with their physiological state. By illuminating a region of interest with low-power microwaves (typically 1–15 GHz) and measuring the back-scattered signals, it is possible to reconstruct images or infer functional parameters that reveal disease-related anomalies. Such methods promise cost-effective, portable, and accessible alternatives—or complements—to existing modalities like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT(computed tomography), particularly in contexts where those technologies are impractical or unavailable.

 

After introducing the fundamentals of near-field microwave interaction with biological media and the role of antennas as both emitters and sensors, the talk will highlight several frontline applications, including brain stroke diagnosis and monitoring, and early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, using both imaging and sensing approaches. Beyond neurological disorders, microwave near-field systems are showing promise for other medical applications, including breast cancer screening, glucose monitoring, and image-guided thermal therapies. Each application demands a careful balance between electromagnetic design, imaging algorithms, and clinical usability—highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of this research field.

 

The talk will conclude by discussing current challenges and future perspectives: the need for standardized phantoms and datasets, the integration of artificial intelligence for real-time diagnostics, and the translation of laboratory prototypes into clinically validated tools. As young engineers and scientists, we stand at the intersection of electromagnetics, data science, and medicine—fields that, when combined, hold the potential to reshape how we perceive and monitor the human body. Near-field microwave imaging exemplifies this convergence, transforming antennas and sensors into gateways for medical innovation.

 


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  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia
  • Bogota, Distrito Capital de Bogota
  • Colombia 110311
  • Building: Edificio 411
  • Room Number: Salon 201 - Sala FIUN
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  Speakers

David Rodriguez

Topic:

Near-Field Microwave Imaging and Sensing for Medical Applications: Challenges and Opportunities

Biography:

David O. Rodriguez-Duarte (Member, IEEE) received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in electronic engineering from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia, in 2013 and 2018, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree from the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy, in 2022, where he is currently Assistant Professor, focusing on applied electromagnetics to biomedical and agro-industrial problems. He is training leader on Antennas system for the European Project “Bone, Brain, Breast and Axillary Medical Microwave Imaging (3BATwin)”, and pre-clinical testing leader in the Interreg European Project “MedWaveImage, Microwave imaging technology transfer to innovate the medical He is technical programme chair of the first “International Conference on Medical Microwave Imaging Applications (ICMWIA, 2026),” and has been convener of the sessions “Advancements on Electromagnetic-based Medical Techniques and Devices” at the Latin American Conference on Antennas and Propagation (LACAP2024), and “Advances in Electromagnetic Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Biomedical Sensors” at the European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP2023). sector.” He was invited professor at the XIX International Chair of Engineering at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 2025, presenting the course “Biomaterials and their application in health.”  He has been a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Early-Stage-Research Fellow in the European project EMERALD, 2018-21, being visiting research at Keysight Technologies GmbH (Austria), iLumens-Health Simulation Center (France), King’s College London (UK), WIPL-D d.o.o.(Serbia). In 2017, he was a visiting researcher at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan, BC, Canada, funded by the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program. He received the Individual Grant for Young Researcher to follow high-risk and high-gain research in 2025, 1st/70 candidates, funded by Politecnico di Torino and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo. He received the IEEE APS Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2022. He was awarded the best undergraduate thesis of the electronics department in 2013, the Second Prize in the Student Paper Competition in the 2021 URSI GASS, the AP-S Tapan Sarkar Best Student Paper in 2021 IEEE CAMA, the C. J. Reddy Travel Grant for Graduate Students in IEEE AP-S/URSI 2021, the best Propagation Paper finalist in EuCAP2022, the Young Scientist Award (YSA) at the URSI AT-AP-RASC in 2022, and a finalist for YSA at 2023 URSI Spain National Symposium.