{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,3]],"date-time":"2026-05-03T11:03:46Z","timestamp":1777806226571,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,16]],"date-time":"2021-04-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1618531200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Magnetic nanoparticles enhanced microwave imaging relies on the capability of modulating the response of such nanocomponents at microwaves by means of a (low frequency) polarizing magnetic field. In medical imaging, this capability allows for the detection and imaging of tumors loaded with nanoparticles. As the useful signal is the one which arises from nanoparticles, it is crucial to remove sources of undesired disturbance to enable the diagnosis of early-stage tumors. In particular, spurious signals arise from instrumental drift, as well as from the unavoidable interaction between the polarizing field and the imaging system. In this paper, we experimentally assess and characterize such spurious effects in order to set the optimal working conditions for magnetic nanoparticles enhanced microwave imaging of cancer. To this end, simple test devices, which include all components typically comprised in a microwave imaging system, have been realized and exploited. The experiment\u2019s results allow us to derive design formulas and guidelines useful for limiting the impact of unwanted magnetic effects, as well as that relative to the instrumental drift on the signal generated by the magnetic nanoparticles-loaded tumor.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s21082820","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,19]],"date-time":"2021-04-19T06:35:53Z","timestamp":1618814153000},"page":"2820","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Experimental Characterization of Spurious Signals in Magnetic Nanoparticles Enhanced Microwave Imaging of Cancer"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Ovidio M.","family":"Bucci","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Electric Engineering and Information Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy"},{"name":"Institute for the Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment, National Research Council of Italy, 80124 Naples, Italy"},{"name":"National Interuniversity Consortium for Telecommunications, 43124 Parma, Italy"}]},{"given":"Gennaro","family":"Bellizzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Electric Engineering and Information Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8028-2268","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sandra","family":"Costanzo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Computer, Modeling, Electronics and Systems Engineering, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2498-3219","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lorenzo","family":"Crocco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for the Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment, National Research Council of Italy, 80124 Naples, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0523-2890","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Di Massa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Computer, Modeling, Electronics and Systems Engineering, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6363-9253","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rosa","family":"Scapaticci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for the Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment, National Research Council of Italy, 80124 Naples, Italy"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1109\/MMM.2011.942702","article-title":"Microwave imaging for breast cancer","volume":"12","author":"Nikolova","year":"2011","journal-title":"IEEE Microw. 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