Two-dimensional FDTD analysis of a pulsed microwave confocal system for breast cancer detection: Fixed-focus and antenna-array sensors

Susan C. Hagness*, Alien Taflove, Jack E. Bridges

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

448 Scopus citations

Abstract

A novel focused active microwave system is investigated for detecting tumors in the breast. In contrast to X-ray and ultrasound modalities, the method reviewed here exploits the breast-tissue physical properties unique to the microwave spectrum, namely, the translucent nature of normal breast tissues and the high dielectric contrast between malignant tumors and surrounding lesion-free normal breast tissues. The system uses a pulsed confocal technique and time-gating to enhance the detection of tumors while suppressing the effects of tissue heterogeneity and absorption. Using published data for the dielectric properties of normal breast tissues and malignant tumors, we have conducted a two-dimensional (2-D) finite-difference timedomain (FDTD) computational electromagnetics analysis of the system. The FDTD simulations showed that tumors as small as 2 mm in diameter could be robustly detected in the presence of the background clutter generated by the heterogeneity of the surrounding normal tissue. Lateral spatial resolution of the tumor location was found to be about 0.5 cm.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1470-1479
Number of pages10
JournalIEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering
Volume45
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 1998
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Biomédical electromagnetic imaging
  • Cancer
  • FDTD methods
  • Microwave antenna arrays
  • Numerical analysis
  • Scattering
  • Tumors

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biomedical Engineering

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