A thermoacoustic imaging system with variable curvature and multi-dimensional detection adapted to breast tumor screening

摘要

Microwave-induced thermoacoustic (TA) imaging is efficient in detecting anomalous absorption areas, especially breast tumors. The operation of previous imaging systems has generally suffered from complexity, and early-stage tumors could be missed because of signal loss. In this paper, we report a variable-curvature and multi-dimensional screening method realized by combining a redesigned adaptive algorithm and an integrated TA breast screening system (ITBCS) comprising a flexible detector and a traction device designed for multi-axis rotation. In contrast to conventional TA imaging systems, the proposed system improves the ability to identify early-stage breast tumors, with a simplified system and operational process. Variable curvature is achieved by the flexible characteristics of the detector, which achieves good shape adaptation between the tissue and the detector. Moreover, multi-dimensional scanning is achieved by the multi-axis traction device and meets the requirements for angle transformation and dynamic imaging. The experimental results indicate that ITBCS exhibits a good performance in detecting breast tumors. Faster screening makes inspection more efficient, thereby improving clinical applicability and providing a convenient facility for large-scale physical examination. Published by AIP Publishing.