Effects of reduced contrast coupling medium in microwave breast imaging

The advantages of using the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum as a means of analyzing biosystems depend on two contradictory requirements: adequate spatial resolution and manageable propagation loss. Shorter wavelengths improve spatial resolution, but at the cost of increased propagation loss. The use of a suitable coupling medium contracts the wavelength, thereby improving the spatial resolution and providing lesser attenuation. The use of corn syrup as a coupling medium in microwave breast imaging is discussed in this paper. The propagation loss of the medium and the radiation characteristics of the antenna in the medium are studied. Two‐dimensional microwave tomographic imaging of a breast‐tissue sample immersed in corn syrup is done and improved resolution of the reconstructed image is reported. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 47: 443–446, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21195