Hybrid near field microwave imaging incorporating multistatic adaptive wavefront reconstruction and micro-sensor arrays for breast cancer detection

简介：微波成像是一种新型的非电离乳腺成像技术。最近的研究表明，这项技术有希望。然而，大多数微波成像方法依赖于传统的天线和传播速度的变化，E-M场的不准确测量和不适定散射问题导致图像缺乏灵敏度，特异性和分辨率。假设：结合多基地自适应波前重建和自旋电子相位分辨感测的混合雷达/层析成像系统将使乳腺病变能够以比现有方法更高的信号杂波比（SCR）、空间精度、灵敏度和特异性被检测到。目的：1.开发一种用于多基地成像的自适应全息技术，该技术包括对传播速度的准确估计。2.研究该算法与使用微传感器阵列测量的E-M信号一起工作的能力。3.研究了将层析成像和雷达方法与相位分辨自旋电子传感器相结合的可行性。方法：研制一套工作在1GHz-10 GHz频段的三维多探测器BMR系统。它将使用一个半球形天线和传感器阵列来对乳房进行成像。将从模拟乳腺组织介电特性的体模中收集实验数据集。将通过计算重建图像的空间精度、SCR、特异性和灵敏度来评估该方法的性能。重要性：研究多基地BMR图像的自动全息重建方法，可以提高乳腺癌的诊断水平。一个强大的方法，用于生成准确的多基地BMR图像没有伪影将解决问题，面临当前的重建方法，并将使我们能够确定是否微波成像可以区分恶性和良性乳腺病变。结论：这项研究将有助于开发一种新的乳腺成像模式，将是准确的，舒适的，安全的。这种系统可用于偏远和发展中地区的筛查，提高乳腺癌诊断的准确性，从而提高所有妇女的生活质量。

Introduction: Microwave imaging is a novel non-ionizing breast imaging technique. Recent studies have shown that this technology has promise. However, most microwave imaging methods rely on traditional antennas and variations in the propagation speed, inaccurate measurement of the E-M field and the ill-posed scattering problem result in images that lack sensitivity, specificity and resolution. Hypothesis: A hybrid radar/tomographic system that combines multistatic adaptive wavefront reconstruction and spintronic phase resolved sensing will enable breast lesions to be detected with a higher Signal to Clutter Ratio (SCR), spatial accuracy, sensitivity and specificity than existing methods. Objectives: 1. Develop an adaptive holographic technique for multistatic image formation that incorporates an accurate estimation of propagation speed. 2. Investigate the ability of this algorithm to work with E-M signals measured using microsensor arrays. 3. Validate the feasibility of integrating tomographic and radar approaches with phase resolved spintronic sensors. Methods: A 3D multidetector BMR system operating in the 1GHz-10GHz band will be developed. It will use a semi-spherical array of antennas and sensors to image the breast. The experimental data sets will be collected from phantoms that mimic the dielectric properties of breast tissues. The performance of this method will be assessed by calculating the spatial accuracy, SCR, specificity and sensitivity of reconstructed images. Significance: This research into automated holographic reconstruction methods for multistatic BMR image reconstruction could improve breast cancer diagnosis. A robust method for generating accurate multistatic BMR images without artifacts will solve issues that face current reconstruction methods and will enable us to determine if microwave based imaging could differentiate between malignant and benign breast lesions. Conclusion: This research will contribute to the development of a novel breast imaging modality that will be accurate, comfortable, and safe. Such systems could be used for screening in remote and developing areas and for improving the accuracy of breast cancer diagnosis, thereby improving the quality of life for all women.