Combined MR and Microwave Imaging - Prototype and Phantom Experiments

We are developing a microwave breast imaging system that can operate simultaneously in a magnetic resonance imaging system. Being able to directly register the two image sets allows us to exploit the excellent spatial resolution of MR with the more specific nature of the recovered dielectric properties. This fused imaging configuration could ultimately obviate the need for invasive contrast agents such as gadolinium. The integrated system consists of a substantially slimmed down microwave illumination tank integrated with a custom 3-channel MR coil for improved signal-to-noise ratio. The microwave apparatus has been designed to minimize the overall height and be compatible with the MR environment specifically, material choice and cross-system signal coupling. We demonstrate our new imaging tank and present results from initial breast-like phantom experiments. These results are a major step towards integration, implementation of our 3D soft prior imaging algorithm and ultimately patient exams.