Development of an electrode unit for a bioimpedance spectrometry device

An electrode unit of a bioimpedance spectrometry device has been developed. This device measures the resistance of biological tissues for specified frequencies of electric current. The device is capable of evaluating the condition of organs and tissues of biological structures in case of breast cancer, as well as in case of various external influences. It differs from all existing devices of bioimpedance spectrometry by the fact that it has small dimensions, is able to change the frequencies of probing current and at the same time to fix impedance values. The electrode unit has a hemispherical shape and to obtain more accurate impedance data each electrode is equipped with a spring which is fixed on a dielectric hemisphere. The purpose of the research is to study breast cancer using the developed electrode unit of the bioimpedance spectrometry device. Patients with malignant neoplasms of the breast were examined with the use of the bioimpedance spectrometry device. The study of impedance data obtained from the patients with and without breast cancer showed that the impedance of the breast affected by cancer lies within 13...20 ohms, depending on the current frequency. That is, the electrical impedance of the affected patient's breast decreases by up to 13.6 percent. The analysis showed that the developed bioimpedance spectrometry device allows to diagnose cancerous diseases. (paper)