A Microwave Radiometer for Diagnosis of Breast Malignancy

Abstract

A breast tumor is visible by a passive microwave radiometer if it changes the radiometer output of a healthy breast to an extent that overcomes the radiometric resolution. The characteristics of a new dual-band near-field radiometer are exposed. The deformation by an antenna pressed against the breast lowers the distance of a subsurface tumor from the contacted surface improving the tumor radiometric visibility. We show this result by modeling breast deformation, temperature and corresponding radiometer output both in the presence of a tumor and in its absence. For a 25% net breast deformation, a tumor of 10 mm diameter is visible by a 0.1degC radiometer and a 3 cm aperture antenna when it is 4 cm deep in the undeformed breast.