Lay summary
Delays in cancer diagnosis significantly affect the outcomes of cancer treatments. Although concurrent application of both cancer imaging and molecular diagnostic techniques have enabled earlier cancer detection, there is a lack of clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of these cancer diagnostic modalities. In recent years, the application of microwave imaging (MWI) has been explored as an alternative and complementary tool to the current computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging for detecting tumours in an earlier stage. In this research, we propose to develop a new MWI approach using super-wideband (SWB) antenna, which offers many advantages over other types of MWI imaging approach. We will test the performance of this imaging system to detect tumours and monitor treatment response in mice bearing deep-seated and superficial tumours. This research has a strong potential for clinical translation and transformational change in cancer detection by enabling earlier and safer cancer screening.