MNP enhanced microwave breast cancer imaging based on ultra-wideband pseudo-noise sensing

Magnetic modulated nanoparticles are a promising approach to enhance microwave breast cancer detection and imaging. Assuming that functionalized magnetic nanoparticles are able to accumulate selectively within tumorous tissue, this approach can increase the diagnostic reliability. This contribution deals with detecting and imaging of magnetic nanoparticles by means of ultra wideband sensing. Magnetic nanoparticles are modulated by means of an external magnetic field and the resulting scattering changes of the magnetic nanoparticles are measured using M-sequence radar technology. Investigations are based on phantom measurements and the detection of the response caused by magnetic nanoparticles is realized by a differential measurement between ON- and OFF-state of the polarizing magnetic field. Results show a detectability of magnetic nanoparticles in a realistic measurement scenario. Based on this, 3D images for different amounts of magnetic nanoparticles are realized using a delay-and-sum beamforming algorithm.