Animal testing using 3D microwave tomography system for breast cancer detection

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Electromagnetics

Background:

• Advanced medical imaging techniques are crucial for accurate diagnosis.
• Microwave tomography (MT) offers a non-invasive imaging modality.
• Existing systems require validation against established imaging methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of a newly developed three dimensional microwave tomography (3D MT) system.
• To compare the image reconstruction capabilities of the 3D MT system with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
• To assess the diagnostic reliability of the 3D MT system for preclinical applications.

Main Methods:

• Assembly and integration of the ETRI 3D MT system, including antenna array, signal processing, and patient interface.
• Acquisition of microwave imaging data at 1,500 MHz from canine breast tissue.
• Comparative analysis of image reconstruction results from 3D MT and MRI.

Main Results:

• The ETRI 3D MT system successfully generated microwave imaging reconstruction results.
• Reconstructed images from the 3D MT system were compared with MRI data.
• The study demonstrated the system's ability to produce computationally reliable diagnostic images.

Conclusions:

• The developed 3D MT system is a viable tool for medical imaging.
• The system shows potential for reliable diagnosis based on reconstructed microwave images.
• Further validation is warranted for clinical applications.