Pulse shaping for time-domain microwave breast tumour detection: Experiments with realistic tissue phantoms

In this paper, we demonstrate improved tumour detection with a time-domain microwave screening system by shaping an incident pulse. We have fabricated a synthesized broadband reflector (SBR) to provide an easily fabricated, low-cost, hardware device to reshape a generic impulse. This newly formed pulse has a specifically chosen frequency profile in order to improve signal transmission within the breast. We contrast results using this new system and our previously designed system and report on improved tumour detection when testing complex and realistic breast phantoms which consist of varying percentages of adipose and glandular tissue.