First trials towards contrast enhanced microwave breast cancer detection by magnetic modulated nanoparticles

This paper presents a contrast enhancing approach for Ultra-wideband breast imaging by means of magnetic modulated iron oxide nanoparticles. The investigations are motivated by the low dielectric contrast between malignant and normal glandular/fibroconnective tissues in the breast. In this contribution two different modulation approaches are investigated. Measurements were conducted using M-sequence UWB technology and oil-gelatin breast phantoms. The results show a detectability of magnetic nanoparticles accumulations in the range of 5 mg down to 0.5 mg depending on the magnetic field intensity and the phantom size.