Microwave Imaging for Breast Cancer Detection - A Comparison Between VNA and FMCW Radar

This paper presents the comparison between microwave imaging for breast cancer detection using a vector network analyzer (VNA) and a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar system. We demonstrate that the VNA within the imaging setup can be replaced by an FMCW radar system without degrading image quality. For this purpose, we show that imaging with a VNA, based on the delay-and-sum (DAS) algorithm, is analytically identical to classic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging. Moreover, we present images acquired from breast phantoms with different inclusions. We obtained images using both a VNA and an FMCW radar system operating from 6–14 GHz. The comparison of the images indicates that the FMCW radar system is a suitable alternative to the VNA for breast cancer detection using microwaves. The entire hardware of the radar system is realized with off-the-shelf components. This enables fast prototyping at a much lower cost compared to using a VNA or comparable radio frequency laboratory equipment.