Microwaves for breast cancer detection?

TLDR

Microwave imaging maps tissue electrical properties, which vary with physiological state and disease, and has been explored for breast cancer detection due to observed contrasts between cancerous and normal tissues. The study proposes using microwave imaging to monitor hyperthermia by detecting changes in tissue electrical properties.

Abstract

Microwave imaging for medical applications has been of interest for many years. Microwave images are maps of the electrical property distributions in the body. The electrical properties of various tissues may be related to their physiological state. For example, the properties of tissues change with temperature. One application of microwave imaging that has been proposed is monitoring hyperthermia, which is the application of heat to tissue. In this case, the changing electrical properties indicate the successful deposition of heat in the tissue of interest. Other changes in electrical properties may be caused by disease. There is some evidence of changes in the properties of cancerous tissues when compared to normal tissues. Cancer detection with microwave imaging is based on this contrast in electrical properties. Microwave imaging for breast cancer detection has also interested many researchers.