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

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，这项技术很有前景。然而，大多数微波成像方法依赖于传统天线和传播速度的变化，对E-M场的测量不准确以及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：结合多静态自适应波前重建和自旋电子相位分辨传感的混合雷达/层析成像系统将使乳房病变的检测具有比现有方法更高的信杂波比（SCR）、空间精度、灵敏度和特异性。目的:1。开发一种多静态图像形成的自适应全息技术，该技术包含对传播速度的精确估计。2. 研究该算法与使用微传感器阵列测量的E-M信号的工作能力。3. 验证层析成像和雷达方法与相位分辨自旋电子传感器集成的可行性。方法：研制一种工作在1GHz-10GHz频段的三维多探测器BMR系统。它将使用天线和传感器组成的半球形阵列对乳房进行成像。实验数据集将从模拟乳腺组织介电特性的模型中收集。该方法的性能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。意义：研究自动全息重建方法用于多静态BMR图像重建，可提高乳腺癌诊断水平。一种生成精确的无伪影的多静态BMR图像的鲁棒方法将解决当前重建方法面临的问题，并使我们能够确定基于微波的成像是否可以区分乳腺恶性和良性病变。结论：本研究将有助于发展一种准确、舒适、安全的新型乳房成像方式。这种系统可用于边远地区和发展中地区的筛查，并可用于提高乳腺癌诊断的准确性，从而改善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.