Electrical impedance imaging with electrode models: initial in vivo experience in the breast

Electrical impedance imaging of the breast is potentially promising but faces a number of challenges related to improving the sensitivity and reliability of the technique. Electrode models have been accepted as important components of image reconstruction but little practical experience with their use during image reconstruction from in vivo data has been reported. In this paper, we describe our approach to electrode modeling and present representative image reconstructions of in vivo breast exams with and without the use of an electrode model. Incorporation of an electrode model is found to improve image quality, especially in terms of reducing near-surface artifacts and improving the sensitivity of the conductivity image component image; however, the effects are generally secondary to the dominant image trends that appear with or without the use of an electrode model.