Tissue Characterization and Cancer Detection Based on Bioimpedance Spectroscopy

Current research envisions improvement of breast cancer detection at early stages by adding a non-invasive modality, electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to the detection procedure. The accuracy of clinical breast examination (CBE) is highly dependent on the clinician’s experience. EIS enhances the physician’s diagnostics capabilities by providing supplementary diagnostic information. Performing CBE besides EIS effects the electrical measurements of soft tissue. In this research the effect of the applied compression during CBE on the electrical properties is studied in-vitro and in-vivo. EIS is also tested over healthy and tumorous subjects. The correlation between tissue electrical properties and tissue pathologies is identified by offering an analysis technique based on the Cole-Cole model. Additional classification and decision making algorithms is further developed for cancer detection. This research suggests that the sensitivity of tumor detection will increase when supplementary information from EIS as well as the built-in intelligence is provided to the physician.