Terahertz Pulsed Imaging of Cancers

Over the last decade advances in laser and semiconductor technology has allowed the investigation of terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum as a potential tool for medical imaging. The terahertz frequency range covers the far infrared wavelengths and is sensitive to librational and vibrational modes of molecules. Terahertz radiation is non-ionizing and is not highly scattered like visible and near infrared light. Terahertz Pulsed Imaging (TPI) has already been demonstrated as an effective tool for differentiating between tissue types in particular normal skin and basal cell carcinoma in vitro. TPI may prove advantageous in distinguishing type, lateral spread and depth of tumours. Here we present recent ex vivo results obtained with a portable TPI system in a clinical setting. It is hoped that this technique could be applied to other epithelial tissues, which give rise to more than 80% of all adult cancers and include common cancers of the skin, oral cavity, breast, colon and prostate.