volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

Ultrawideband (UWB) microwave imaging is a promising emerging method for the detection of breast cancer. Fibroglandular tissue has been shown to significantly limit the effectiveness of UWB imaging algorithms, particularly in the case of premenopausal women who may present with more dense breast tissue. Rather than trying to create an image of the breast, this study proposes to compare the UWB backscattered signals from successive scans of a dielectrically heterogeneous breast, to identify the presence of cancerous tissue. The temporal changes between signals are processed using Support Vector Machines to determine if a cancerous growth has occurred during the time between scans. Detection rates are compared to the results from a previous study by the authors, where UWB backscatter signals from a single scan were processed for cancer detection.

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Dr. Dallan Byrne

Dr. Martin O'Halloran

Dr. Martin Glavin

Dr. Edward Jones