Analysis of maximum phase projection data for improvement of microwave imaging background media

Scattered phase values measured at receiver sites in our microwave breast tomographic imaging system can be considerable when the dielectric properties of an object being imaged vary significantly from those of the background coupling medium. A focus of study for the improvement of our microwave breast imaging system has been to devise a background solution that more closely matches the dielectric properties of the breast in order to reduce the magnitude of scattered phase projections. Analysis of phase projection simulation and measurement data has provided important insight in the permittivity requirements for an optimal background solution.