Medical Image Registration for Microwave Imaging Using Qualitative Inverse Scattering

Incorporating spatial priors derived from high-resolution imaging modalities within a microwave imaging algorithm can significantly improve the resolution and the effectiveness of the imaging results. However, differences arising in positioning the patient inside the microwave system and the high-resolution diagnostic machine can significantly affect the imaging results. To alleviate such a risk, a new a-posteriori method for registration is proposed. The method uses qualitative inverse scattering techniques to derive a preliminary and reference image that is used to guide the registration of the high-resolution image at hand via the moment-based registration technique. To evaluate the performance, real data collected for human forearms, including both magnetic resonance images and microwave data, are considered.