The high contrast for breast pathology afforded by electromagnetic (EM) properties in the 300-3000 MHzrange more than motivates the development of imaging technologies that seek to exploit these differenceswith normal tissue. Indeed, tomographic methods are attractive in this context because they generate spatialmaps of imaged parameters in order to localize disease. Project III, Microwave Imaging and Spectroscopy(MIS), targets the development and evaluation of broadband, multi-spectral microwave tomography forbreast imaging applications. During the current funding period, Project III has successfully deployed aclinical imaging system which transceives propagating EM fields through a non-contacting antenna arrayunder computer-controlled axial translation to deliver comfortable exams to the pendant breast immersed ina fluid used to promote signal coupling into the region of interest. This system has been involved in morethan 100 clinical sessions which have (i) determined that EM breast properties are higher and moreheterogeneous than expected, (ii) begun to establish the normal breast response showing statisticallysignificant increases in property values with increasing breast radiodensity, and (iii) suggested that there issufficient property contrast to detect screening abnormalities. These encouraging developments and earlyclinical results motivate a new set of technical and clinical goals for the next funding period that center onthree primary areas of investigation: (a) to develop and evaluate 3D microwave imaging, (b) to understandthe impact of breast tissue composition on the images produced and (c) to validate resultant images throughclinical studies organized by the Clinical Core. More specifically, the Project III aims for the proposedfunding period are (1) to develop 3D imaging through faster, more accurate data acquisition and concomitantsoftware advances to exploit anatomical priors through coregistration, high frequencies and multi-spectralmethods, (2) to develop, validate and utilize a probe-based measurement system for local property studies atthe time of surgery but prior to histopathology on breast tissues previously imaged in vivo, (3) to validate thenew system advances in phantoms and clinical cases correlated with MR (Magnetic Resonance) and (4) tocontinue clinical studies in.collaboration with the Clinical Core which target screening abnormalitiesrecommended for biopsy, palpable masses on clinical breast exams and locally-advanced cancers receivingneoadjuvant therapy. If successful, it is expected that these aims will generate sufficient evidence to allowconvincing estimates of the potential of MIS as an alternative for differential diagnosis, and pilot data insupport of a role in treatment prognosis and therapy monitoring which would inform decisions on initiation ofmulti-center trials with MIS technology in the future.
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