High-sensing-capacity, bimodal mechatronic imaging system for early detection of breast cancer

Abstract

In this dissertation, after fully discussing the importance of and a road map to prevention as the real solution to the current prevalence of breast cancer, two potential solutions are proposed for early and accurate detection of breast cancer: (a) bimodal imaging using the combination of microwave imaging, one time with Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT), and one time with automated ultrasound imaging, and (b) compressive ultrasound imaging using spectral-spatial coding techniques. The former solution seeks to bring together the advantages of two imaging modalities, high-contrast in microwave imaging and high-resolution in both DBT and ultrasound imaging, with the aim of increasing true-positive evaluation rates in breast cancer diagnosis. Between the two proposed systems, the one that uses microwave-ultrasound imaging is preferable to the other one as it utilizes non-ionizing radiation and it can potentially help radiologists distinguish between benign and malignant breast masses---a capability that ultrasound imaging can provide in certain cases. The later solution aims at improving ultrasound imaging systems by introducing spectral and spatial coding elements, particularly metamaterials, resonant cavities---which have been used in optics and electromagnetics for the same purpose, Helmholtz resonators and cantilever beams, so that ultrasound imaging can possibly work as an independent modality for breast cancer detection. The fabrication and implementation details of the bimodal systems are fully discussed and preliminary simulated results are presented to illustrate the concept of compressive ultrasound imaging. It is shown that firstly the bimodal setups have the potential to be used in clinical trials, and secondly ultrasound compressive imaging using spatial-spectral coding structures can be potentially beneficial in increasing ultrasound systems' performance in the real world, while reducing their sampling requirements. Due to shortage of time and budget, experimental verification of all of the ideas were left incomplete.