Akesson I, Kovac R, Son H, Teixeira de Castro Gonçalves Ortega AC, Fedorov D, Perera Molligoda Arachchige AS. Microwave breast imaging: A review of clinical potential and technological advances. World J Methodol 2026; 16(3): 110991 [DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v16.i3.110991]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Arosh S Perera Molligoda Arachchige, MD, GHOL-Hopital de Nyon, Chemin Monastier 10, Nyon 1260, Vaud, Switzerland. aroshperera@outlook.it
Research Domain of This Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Article-Type of This Article
review-article
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Akesson I, Kovac R, Son H, Teixeira de Castro Gonçalves Ortega AC, Fedorov D, Perera Molligoda Arachchige AS. Microwave breast imaging: A review of clinical potential and technological advances. World J Methodol 2026; 16(3): 110991 [DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v16.i3.110991]
World J Methodol. Sep 20, 2026; 16(3): 110991 Published online Sep 20, 2026. doi: 10.5662/wjm.v16.i3.110991
Microwave breast imaging: A review of clinical potential and technological advances
Isabella Akesson, Richard Kovac, Hyuna Son, Ana Claudia Teixeira de Castro Gonçalves Ortega, Daniil Fedorov, Arosh S Perera Molligoda Arachchige
Isabella Akesson, Richard Kovac, Hyuna Son, Ana Claudia Teixeira de Castro Gonçalves Ortega, Daniil Fedorov, Faculty of Medicine, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele 20072, Italy
Arosh S Perera Molligoda Arachchige, GHOL-Hopital de Nyon, Nyon 1260, Vaud, Switzerland
Co-first authors: Isabella Akesson and Richard Kovac.
Author contributions: Akesson I and Kovac R contributed equally to this work and share co-first authorship, they were primarily responsible for the conceptualization, methodology development, data analysis, and manuscript drafting; Son H contributed to data curation, literature review, and manuscript editing; de Castro Gonçalves Ortega ACT and Fedorov D supported project administration, resources, and critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content; Arachchige ASPM supervised the overall project, contributed to study design, provided clinical expertise, and performed final manuscript review and approval; all authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Corresponding author: Arosh S Perera Molligoda Arachchige, MD, GHOL-Hopital de Nyon, Chemin Monastier 10, Nyon 1260, Vaud, Switzerland. aroshperera@outlook.it
Received: June 20, 2025 Revised: August 6, 2025 Accepted: November 26, 2025 Published online: September 20, 2026 Processing time: 385 Days and 20.5 Hours
Abstract
Breast cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide, and the limitations of conventional imaging, especially in women with dense breast tissue have sparked interest in safer, more accessible diagnostic alternatives. Microwave breast imaging (MBI) is a promising, non-ionizing, and potentially cost-effective modality that leverages dielectric contrasts between malignant and healthy tissues. This review presents MBI technologies, focusing on microwave tomography and radar-based techniques such as confocal microwave imaging and tissue-sensing adaptive radar. We evaluate system designs, antenna configurations, image reconstruction algorithms, and clinical performance from leading research groups. Additionally, we highlight the growing role of machine learning in enhancing image resolution, segmentation, and lesion classification. Despite encouraging results from early-phase clinical trials, challenges such as limited spatial resolution, anatomical variability, and high computational demands continue to hinder broader adoption. We outline future directions, including real-time motion correction, improved antenna sensitivity, and stronger clinical validation. With continued innovation and regulatory support, MBI has strong potential as an adjunct or alternative to current breast imaging modalities, especially for dense breast tissue and in resource-limited settings.
Core Tip: Microwave breast imaging (MBI) offers a non-ionizing, cost-effective alternative to traditional breast imaging, particularly beneficial for women with dense breast tissue. By exploiting dielectric contrasts between malignant and healthy tissues, MBI-through techniques like microwave tomography and confocal radar imaging-shows promise in early detection. Despite challenges like limited spatial resolution and anatomical variability, advancements in antenna design, machine learning, and real-time imaging continued to push MBI closer to clinical integration, especially in low-resource or high-risk settings.
