Fast 3D Breast Imaging With a Transmission-Based Microwave System.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Electromagnetics

Background:

• Microwave breast imaging is emerging for tumor detection, treatment monitoring, and breast density estimation.
• Existing quantitative 3D imaging methods often rely on complex full-wave inverse scattering or iterative algorithms.
• Most prior works utilize 2D quantitative images or qualitative 3D reconstructions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a fast and efficient 3D quantitative reconstruction algorithm for microwave breast imaging.
• To enable accurate 3D permittivity reconstruction without prior information or iterative full-wave solutions.
• To validate the algorithm using experimental data from phantoms and human participants.

Main Methods:

• Developed a 3D quantitative reconstruction algorithm based on a straight-line wave propagation assumption, analogous to ray tracing.
• Employed a novel, wideband microwave transmission system with direct breast contact, eliminating the need for a matching medium.
• Applied the algorithm to experimental data from graphite phantoms and four healthy participants across multiple frequency points.

Main Results:

• Achieved quantitative 3D permittivity reconstruction for graphite phantoms with varying inclusion characteristics, validated against 3D CT scans.
• Demonstrated successful 3D quantitative permittivity reconstruction in healthy participants, with images compared to mammograms.
• Confirmed the stability of the 3D permittivity reconstruction over three distinct time points for participants.

Conclusions:

• The proposed algorithm offers a fast and efficient method for 3D quantitative microwave breast imaging.
• The technique shows promise for accurate tumor detection, treatment monitoring, and breast density assessment.
• Experimental validation with phantoms and human subjects supports the clinical applicability of this novel approach.