MammoWave Breast Imaging Device: Path to Clinical Validation, Results and Implications in Future Population-based Breast Screening Programs

Microwave imaging for breast cancer detection has attracted growing global attention with a small number of prototypes advancing to the clinical trial stage. This investigation aims to provide an overview of MammoWave, a novel microwave-based imaging system for breast lesion detection and to assess its introduction into the clinical routine and its potential role in future breast screening programs. As a key focus of this work, we will describe in detail the various aspects of the clinical protocol procedure that has enabled us to perform a successful clinical trial. Obtained preliminary results indicate the ability of our device to distinguish breasts with no radiological finding and those with radiological findings, with a sensitivity of 89.6%

Dielectric Characterization of Breast Biopsied Tissues as Pre-Pathological Aid in Early Cancer Detection: A Blinded Feasibility Study

Dielectric characterization has significant potential in several medical applications, providing valuable insights into the electromagnetic properties of biological tissues for disease diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring of therapeutic interventions. This work presents the use of a custom-designed electromagnetic characterization system, based on an open-ended coaxial probe, for discriminating between benign and malignant breast tissues in a clinical setting. The probe’s development involved a well-balanced compromise between physical feasibility and its combined use with a reconstruction algorithm known as the virtual transmission line model (VTLM). Immediately following the biopsy procedure, the dielectric properties of the breast tissues were reconstructed, enabling tissue discrimination based on a rule-of-thumb using the obtained dielectric parameters. A comparative analysis was then performed by analyzing the outcomes of the dielectric investigation with respect to conventional histological results. The experimental procedure took place at Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Toledo—Hospital Virgen de la Salud, Spain, where excised breast tissues were collected and subsequently analyzed using the dielectric characterization system. A comprehensive statistical evaluation of the probe’s performance was carried out, obtaining a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 81.6%, 61.5%, and 73.4%, respectively, compared to conventional histological assessment, considered as the gold standard in this investigation

Breast Biopsy Characterization Through Microwave Imaging Using MammoWave Apparatus

Nowadays, novel microwave imaging applications in breast cancer screening are being investigated as an alternative technique to traditional mammography and recent tomosynthesis. In this context, MammoWave ® system shows great potential to identify breast lesions based on their dielectric properties. Dedicated phantoms have been used to test, validate, and characterize the system, but additional research is necessary for further studying in vivo dielectric behavior of tissues. For optimization and capability enhancement of lesions discrimination via microwave imaging, a set of different biopsied tissues has been collected to analyze their impact in a controlled environment. This paper highlights the potential of the microwave images obtained with MammoWave ® device to correctly identify different pathological samples through the analysis of different images’ features