MammoWave Breast Imaging Device: A Procedure for Device’s Characterization Via Phantom Measurements and Subsequent Clinical Trials’ Preliminary Results

The use of microwave imaging for breast cancer detection has witnessed growing attention from researchers around the globe. In the past decade, a number of microwave imaging prototypes have completed the preliminary experimental stages and reached clinical trials. This paper presents the machine characterization and preliminary clinical trial results of MammoWave, a dedicated radar-based microwave imaging system for breast lesion detection. MammoWave uses a Huygens principle-based algorithm, operates in air, using two antennas without requiring matching liquids. Our clinical trial results on 102 breasts from 64 patients indicate MammoWave’s ability to distinguish between breasts with and without radiological findings, with a sensitivity of 88%. Significantly, when considering dense breasts only, the sensitivity does not decrease.