Design and Characterization of an Anthropomorphic Mammary Phantom for Electromagnetic Sensing

This article presents the fabrication of an anthropomorphic and rectangular breast phantom, designed for use in electromagnetic technologies. The process includes the precise digitization of the breast shape using the HandySCAN 3D - SILVER scanner, the optimization of the layered design with ANSYS-HFSS, and the use of real databases obtained from previous research, which include dielectric properties of breast tissues, tumor types, as well as clinical history information and mammography images. A comparison of the best materials for 3D printing is conducted, selecting those that stand out for their flexibility, temperature resistance, low permittivity, and liquid resistance, allowing for the creation of a breast structure that can be filled with dielectric liquids. The goal is to realistically replicate the non-homogeneous characteristics of breast tissue, based on data extracted from the database. The result is a breast phantom fabricated both digitally and physically, with realistic and non-homogeneous dielectric properties, validated for in vivo and ex vivo measurements.