Monitoring stroke using microwave technologies

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This project will contribute towards the development of a portable and low-cost system which can detect the occurrence, and monitor the evolution of stroke and its treatment using microwave technology. The impact of stroke incidents is immense: five million people die and another five million are permanently disabled every year due to stroke incidents, and stroke is placed third among reasons for acute death and first among reasons for neurological dysfunction in the western world. Moreover, the incidence of stroke in patients below 65 years of age is increasing and presently constitutes 20% of all strokes. Its treatment relies to a great extent on the information provided by diagnostic methodologies, which are necessary to guide medical experts in choosing a treatment strategy and to assess its efficiency. The proposed approach relies on microwave imaging (MWI), which uses harmless, low-power, non-ionizing radio frequency microwaves to obtain clinically meaningful images in a way that addresses the patient’s needs for speed, safety and comfort. The system can be used inside an ambulance to determine the type of stroke much earlier than CT scanners inside a hospital. This is particularly important for ischemic stroke patients (which account for over 80% of total cases), for which early detection is crucial for thrombolytic treatment. Moreover, by serving as a point of care diagnostic tool for patients at their homes, the proposed approach can lead to more precise, personalised management of stroke in the post-acute stage, thereby improving the potential recovery of the patient.