Three-dimensional EIT imaging of breast tissues: system design and clinical testing

Results of development and testing of the new medical imaging system are described. The system uses a planar array consisting of 256 electrodes and enables obtaining images of the three-dimensional conductivity distribution in regions below the skin´s surface up to several centimeters deep. The developed measuring system and image reconstruction algorithm can be used for breast tissue imaging and diagnostics, in particular for malignant tumor detection. Examples of tomographic images obtained in vivo during clinical tests are presented. The mammary gland, being an organ-target, alters at the background with such physiological events as menstrual cycle, pregnancy, lactation, and postmenopause. The objectives of this paper include estimation of the possibilities of electrical impedance mammography for investigation of mammary glands´ state among women with different hormonal status. We found that electrical impedance mammograms from different groups had clear visual distinctions and statistically significant differences in mammary glands´ conductivity. Our data on conductivity distribution in the mammary gland during different physiological periods will allow us to use it as normal values in the future, to continue this research on mammary glands with different pathology.