Microwave imaging for medical diagnosis

We introduce an efficient microwave imaging technique for medical applications, especially suited for breast cancer detection. The imaging system consists of a fixed source for transmit on one end, and a planar array of receiving sensors on the other, with the target placed in between. The image of the internal organ tissue under examination is thus obtained across a three-dimensional region, based upon the data collected by these sensors, using our field mapping algorithm (FMA). An image of tissue structure can be obtained through application of the FMA. This algorithm transforms electromagnetic fields upon one surface to another in an exact sense. It determines the entire electric and magnetic field everywhere based on two tangential field components, either electric or magnetic, on a surface, be it a plane, a sphere, or a cylinder. The geometry of the biological organs is then ascertained from the field polarization attributes, which indicate tissue structure. In particular, the tissue mass associated with any given field distribution can thus be revealed as to its structure and electrical properties by way of the field polarization attributes. Moreover, inasmuch as our FMA provides interior fields on the basis of surface measurements, performed at some remove from actual in vivo material, we hold in our hands a rapid, simple, and fully non-destructive method for providing tissue structure across entire organ volumes, without any significant spatial restriction or fear of tissue damage due to biological intrusion. Six test cases, including analytic examples, FDTD simulation runs, and hardware measurements, are given for verification, with most promising results evident throughout.