Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine 5
From this, we have In biological materials is produced by the ionic con-
duction and 0 () is produced by dielectric relaxation.
ef () = ef () + ef () , (22) The dielectric response of biological tissues is always fre- quency dependent, and the electric charge movement inside 2 2
ef () = ef (0) + ( ef () ef (0)) , the material in response to an externally applied electric 1 + 2 2 field is controlled by the dielectric properties of the material. (23) 1 The free charge movement inside a material affected by an
ef () = ef () + ( ef (0) ef ()) , external field is controlled by its conductivity (). Biological 1 + 2 2 tissues display extremely high dielectric constants at low where frequencies, and as the excitation frequency is increased, the dielectric constants of the tissues fall off in more or less (1 ) int + ext = , distinct steps [8]. Interfaces play a significant role in the (1 ) int + ext frequency dependence of complex materials, particularly at ext int audio and subaudio frequencies [8]. The frequency response
ef (0) = , of biological tissue admittivity is highly influenced by the (1 ) int + ext dielectric polarization, dielectric relaxation, and dielectric ext int dispersion.
ef () = , Electric polarization (Figure 4) may be defined as the (1 ) int + ext (24) electric-field-induced disturbance (shift from average equi- int ext + ext int ext int librium positions) of the charge distribution in a region [8].
ef () = , (1 ) int + ext (1 ) int + ext Dielectric dispersion in biological tissues can be assumed to depend upon the permittivity (Figure 5) of tissue material int ext + ext int ext int with applied electric field frequency [8]. In other words, a
ef (0) = . (1 ) int + ext (1 ) int + ext significant change in dielectric properties over a frequency range, by convention, is called a dielectric dispersion [21]. Writing = () (0) and = () (0), ef ef ef ef ef ef As there is always a lag between the changes in an applied electric field and changes in polarization, the permittivity we have of the biological tissues is a complex-valued function of the
ef = ef . (25) frequency of the applied electric field. The term dielectric relaxation [22] in a biological tissue connotes the delay or lag Here, is referred to as a relaxation time, since its value in its response to create the dielectric polarization following controls polarization time [8, 21]. It is remarkable to observe the application of electric field across the tissue sample. In that the relaxation time = ((1 )int + ext )/((1 )int + other words, the dielectric relaxation of a tissue can be defined ext ) may be obtained by solving the elliptic PDE (17). as the lag (momentary delay) in the dielectric constant which Using (23), the average current density J = 0 1 is usually caused by the delay in molecular polarization with respect to a change in applied electric field. According to the generated inside the dielectric due to the average electric field previous simple computations of (23) in the 1D model (17), E = 0 is given by 1 the central frequency of the dispersion is = 1/2 = (1/2)((1 )int + ext )/((1 )int + ext ). J = ( ef () + 0 ef ()) E, (26) Schwan [23, 24] studied the properties of biological tissue and cell suspensions over a large frequency range and which can be expressed as observed that the dielectric properties of biological tissues are characterized by three major dispersions, -dispersion J = E + 0 (
()
()) E, (27) [23, 24], -dispersion [23, 24], and -dispersion [23, 24] occurring at low frequency, radio frequency, and microwave where = ef (0) and frequency, respectively. We consider each of these dispersions below. 1
() = ef () + ( ef (0) ef ()) , (i) -dispersion (10 Hz /2 10 kHz): The - 1 + 2 2 dispersion is associated with tissue interfaces such as 1 2 2 (28)
() = (( ef () ef (0)) ). membranes [23]. Below about 10 kHz, the dielectric 0 1 + 2 2 studies of biological or any other electrolyte systems become very complex and difficult to characterize. Here,
() and () are referred to as the dielectric Foster and Schwan, 1989 [25], reported that - constant and loss factor of the dielectric material, respectively. dispersion is believed to be associated with a coun- The average current density can also be written as terion layer (electrical double layer) polarization in tissues. J = ( + 0 ())E +
0 ()E.
(ii) -dispersion (10 kHz /2 10 MHz): In (29) ef () ef () biological tissues, the -dispersion is caused by the