研究目的

To define what physical sensitivity means in the case of microwave imaging of tissue and to propose methods to estimate it. The proposed approach is different from common signal-to-noise image assessments. Since microwave imaging relies on the permittivity contrast between the scattering objects and their background, the proposed methodology estimates the smallest detectable change in the complex permittivity per unit volume in the background.

研究成果

The proposed methodology provides common means to quantify and compare the sensitivity performance of microwave systems used in tissue imaging as well as the antennas used as sensors. It enables the estimation of the smallest detectable target contrast for a given size or vice versa, validating the proposed methods through comparison of simulated and measured sensitivity estimation.

研究不足

The method targets the performance of the hardware and is not concerned with the image-reconstruction algorithms. The accuracy of the simulation-based method depends on the alignment between simulations and measurements, which can be affected by fabrication inaccuracies, uncertainties in material parameters, positioning errors, and radiation leakage.