Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and early detection is critical for improving outcomes. While mammography is the standard screening method, it performs poorly in women with dense breast tissue, who represent about 40% of the population. Ultrasound is a promising alternative, as it does not use radiation and is more effective for imaging dense tissue. However, it produces two-dimensional images, and image quality depends heavily on user skill. Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) addresses this through the generation of three-dimensional (3D) images, but current systems are expensive and lack blood flow imaging. To overcome these limitations, I designed and built a low-cost, portable 3D ABUS device with blood flow imaging capability. The device uses standard ultrasound machines to create images, making it affordable and adaptable to different healthcare settings. Testing of the device showed that 3D ultrasound images could be generated accurately, and images of healthy volunteers displayed breast tissue clearly from multiple angles. Blood flow images were also accurately generated. These results demonstrate that the system can reliably produce 3D breast tissue and blood flow images. Overall, my device shows promise as an accurate, portable, and affordable tool for improving breast cancer screening and diagnosis.