Space-time microwave imaging for cancer detection
US7570063B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 3, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 4, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 11, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B18/1815
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Microwave imaging via space-time beamforming is carried out by transmitting microwave signals from multiple antenna locations into an individual to be examined and receiving the backscattered microwave signals at multiple antenna locations to provide received signals from the antennas. The received signals are processed in a computer to remove the skin interface reflection component of the signal at each antenna to provide corrected signal data. The corrected signal data is provided to a beamformer process that time shifts the received signals to align the returns from a scatterer at a candidate location, and then passes the time aligned signals through a bank of filters, the outputs of which are summed, time-gated and the power therein calculated to produce the beamformer output signal at a candidate location. The beamformer is then scanned to a plurality of different locations in the individual by changing the time shifts, filter weights and time-gating of the beamformer process. The output power may be displayed as a function of scan location, with regions of large output power corresponding to significant microwave scatterers such as malignant lesions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.