Design and Simulation of Ingestible Capsule for Early Tumor and Cancer Cell Detection using Antenna Technology

This paper outlines the design and simulation of an ingestible capsule equipped with a microstrip patch antenna designed to detect tumor and cancer cells within the GI tract. With the increasing requirements for non-invasive early-detection technologies, the concept proposed here uses RF to detect anomalies by transmitting RF waves and receiving them that will create an image from possible tumor sites through digital image processing. Such a capsule is designed very compactly, approximately around 25 mm in length and 15 mm in diameter, thus safe for oral ingestion. The substrate is FR-4, so it has built the antenna on that which is cost-efficient while operating in GI tract environments. In monitoring reflections from tumor tissues, the microstrip patch antenna inside the capsule operates at a frequency band of $2-6 \mathrm{GHz}$. This would be a frequency range that would provide deep penetration and a high resolution for identifying abnormal tissues and their localization. MATLAB simulations are used to develop a 3D GI tract model that is realistic. The performance of the antenna is assessed through the estimation of reflection coefficient S11 at different frequency points. Simulations further demonstrate how such a system would behave to variations in tissue composition, which increases the precision in tumor localization. Results indicate that the proposed capsule design might be very promising as an alternative in conventional imaging techniques while always focusing on patient comfort and early detection possibilities.