Sofiene Mansouri, Yousef Alharbi, Jamel Nebhen and Anwar Alshrouf
Introduction: Early detection of breast cancer saves lives. Existing detecting techniques are invasive. Electrical bioimpedance is a noninvasive technique and
has a high diagnostic potential.
Methods: An impedance value different from the normal can predict a physiological abnormality. Malignant breast tumors have lower electrical impedance than
surrounding normal tissues. The use of low frequency current (1 KHz, 0.9 mA) has permit to focus only on the breast the extracellular resistance. The difference of
the measured resistances of the right and left breast is a pertinent parameter to early detect the presence of a cancer. A difference greater than 50 Ω is sufficient to
decide whether to visit a cancer center for further investigations. In this case, the lowest resistance value (RR or RL) can provide information on the breast affected
by the cancer (Right or left). The idea is to use a designed bio impedance device to early detect breast cancer. A low frequency current is injected to each breast
to measure the extracellular resistances. The resistances of the two breasts are then measured and if there is a significant difference warning is displayed. The
performance was tested on a set of reference resistors and the validation was done in-vitro on (Na+Cl-) solutions and in-vivo on a group of forty volunteer women.
Results: The results confirm that electrical conductivity of an ionic solution is proportional to its concentration. The concentration and the resistance are strongly
correlated (correlation coefficient of 0.97). The accuracy and the repeatability of the measures were satisfactory. Early detection means that we can detect small
extracellular concentrations variations into the breast (from 0.6 g/l). In-vivo measurements made it possible to set the threshold at 50 Ohm. If the difference
between the two measured breasts resistances is greater than this threshold, we advise the patient to consult a doctor promptly.
Conclusion: The difference between measured resistances of the right and left breast is a pertinent parameter to early detect the presence of a cancer. The
lowest resistance value (RR or RL) can provide information on the breast affected by the cancer (Right or left). Various improvements in the system are possible
but already the results are encouraging. In the future, this system could be integrated into a bra. In order to improve our work, we will first carry out a measurement
campaign on subjects suffering from breast cancer as well as on normal subjects. This measurement campaign will help us to improve our system and choose the
best threshold. Then, we will increase the number of electrodes to accurately locate the tumor in the affected breast and to create an image that will be displayed on
the smartphone. Tests on digital phantoms are promising. Future work will allow us to complete this ambitious project. This will allow having a smart mammograph
by the electrical bio impedance method.
Author thanks the Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University. This project was supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz
University under the research project # 2020/01/16495.
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Journal of Oncology Translational Research received 93 citations as per Google Scholar report
