Prototype System for Microwave Breast Imaging: Experimental Results from Tissue Phantoms

This paper presents an UWB microwave breast imaging prototype system that operates in the frequency range from 1 GHz to 9 GHz. In contrast to other microwave breast imaging systems we propose a two-dimensional scanning of the compressed breast based on UWB bowtie antennas. This approach enables a direct comparison with measurements obtained from X-ray mammography. In this work, we will describe the setup of the breast imaging system including its main components and basic signal processing steps. Qualitative imaging results are presented for a tissue mimicking phantom containing four inclusions with a small dielectric contrast. Finally, spectroscopic measurements up to 20 GHz are presented at the end of this study to characterize the material properties of the inclusions and the surrounding material.