Non-linear imaging algorithm for the detection of female breast cancer in the incipient state

A non-linear imaging algorithm for the detection of small, malignant female breast tumours is described. The electromagnetic contrast source inversion method is employed for the reconstruction of the location, the shape, and the electrical properties (relative permittivity and conductivity) of the breast and the tumour tissues. By combining the extended contrast source inversion method and a multiplicative total variation regularisation in the frequency hopping, a highly accurate and robust inversion scheme is obtained. The performance of the algorithm is demonstrated by performing the detection of an object that is representative for a tumour in its incipient state, located in an inhomogeneous breast tissue