Microwave Imaging via Space-Time Signal Processing for Early-Stage Breast Cancer Detection, Monitoring, and Treatment

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0201880HagnessUnder this Investigator Initiated Award, studies will be preformed to develop an ultrawideband microwave imaging method for detection, monitoring and noninvasive treatment of early-stage breast cancer. The intrinsic dielectric-properties contrast between malignant and normal breast tissue provides the basis for highly sensitive detection of malignant lesions using microwaves. The objectives are to: 1) develop robust space-time signal processing algorithms that exploit the dielectric-properties contrast for the detection and monitoring of malignant lesions, 2) develop space-time signal-processing algorithms for non-invasive microwave hyperthermia treatment of malignant breast lesions, 3) investigate the performance of the approach for early-stage cancer detection, monitoring, and treatment using anatomically realistic numerical breast models, 4) develop realistic physical breast phantoms and pre-clinical hardware prototype instrumentation, and 5) investigate the performance of the approach for breast cancer detection using the pre-clinical instrument in both synthetic breast phantom and ex vivo breast tissue imaging experiments. The proposed approach offers the potential of a easy-to-use, low cost, comfortable, non-ionizing breast screening technology capable of reducing the rate of false negatives and false positives associated with conventional X-ray mammography. The treatment protocol will minimize the complications, discomfort, and need for invasive procedures for women with breast cancer.