Hypothermia applicator for human body temperature rise

A hyperthermia applicator for use in hyperthermia medical treatments to induce a temperature rise in a target area of a human body, comprising:

• a dielectric circuit board including a top side, a bottom side, a first edge, a second edge parallel to the first edge, a third edge perpendicular to the first edge and the second edge, and a fourth edge parallel to the third edge, a first central axis which extends from the first edge to the second edge, and a second central axis which extends from the third edge to the fourth edge;
• a folded dipole microstrip antenna formed on the top side, wherein the folded dipole microstrip antenna includes two meander paths, each having mirror geometry about the second central axis;
• a first gap centered on the second central axis between the two meander paths and near the third edge;
• a lumped inductor inserted across the first gap near the third edge;
• a second gap centered on the second central axis between the two meander paths near the fourth edge;
• a pair of parallel metallic strips located on the bottom side, wherein the pair of parallel metallic strips extends from the fourth edge towards the third edge, wherein the pair of parallel metallic strips has mirror geometry about the second axis;
• a third gap located between the pair of parallel metallic strips;
• a power supply;
• a signal generator connected to the power supply, wherein the signal generator is configured to generate an alternating voltage in a microwave frequency range;
• a coaxial cable connected to the signal generator;
• a coaxial feed port connected to the coaxial cable at a receiving end, and connected to the pair of parallel metallic strips at the fourth edge,
• wherein the folded dipole patch antenna is configured to resonate in a frequency range of about 434 MHz upon receiving the alternating voltage in the microwave frequency range at the coaxial feed port and emit microwave energy;
• and
• wherein the microwave energy raises the temperature of the target area when the hyperthermia applicator is placed over the target area of the human body.

A folded dipole patch antenna, comprising:

• a dielectric circuit board including a top side, a bottom side, a first edge, a second edge parallel to the first edge, a third edge perpendicular to the first edge and the second edge, and a fourth edge parallel to the third edge, a first central axis which extends from the first edge to the second edge, and a second central axis which extends from the third edge to the fourth edge, wherein a length of the dielectric circuit board between the first edge and second edge is about 16.4 mm and a width of the dielectric circuit board between the third edge and the fourth edge is about 8.6 mm;
• a folded dipole microstrip antenna formed on the top side, wherein the folded dipole microstrip antenna consists of five sections, wherein:
• a first section includes a first leg parallel to the third edge, a second leg connected to the first leg and parallel to the first edge, and a third leg connected to the second leg and parallel to the first leg;
• a second section includes a straight leg parallel to the third edge, wherein the second section has a first end separated from a first end of the first leg of the first section by a first gap;
• a third section includes a leg parallel to the fourth edge and an arm perpendicular to and connected to the leg, wherein the arm is configured to extend towards the fourth edge, wherein a first end of the leg is separated by a second gap from a second end of the first section;
• a fourth section includes a leg parallel to the fourth edge and an arm perpendicular to and connected to the leg, wherein the arm is configured to extend towards the fourth edge, wherein the arm of the fourth section is separated from the arm of the third section by a third gap;
• a fifth section includes a first leg parallel to the third edge, a second leg connected to the first leg and parallel to the second edge, and a third leg connected to the second leg and parallel to the first leg, wherein a first end of the fifth section is separated by a fourth gap from the straight section and a second end of the fifth section is separated by a fifth gap from a first end of the leg of the fourth section;
• a first inductor located in the first gap;
• a first capacitor located in the second gap;
• a second inductor located in the fourth gap;
• a second capacitor located in the fifth gap;
• a pair of parallel metallic strips located on the bottom side, wherein the pair of parallel metallic strips is configured to extend from the fourth edge towards the third edge, wherein the pair of parallel metallic strips has mirror geometry about the second axis;
• and
• a coaxial feed port connected to the pair of parallel metallic strips at the fourth edge,
• wherein inductance values of the first inductor and the second inductor and capacitance values of the first capacitor and the second capacitor are selected such that the folded dipole patch antenna resonates at a frequency of about 434 MHz upon application of an input signal at the coaxial feed port.