Terahertz sensing and imaging technology of cancer detection

Terahertz (THz) absorption is highly sensitive to water content. This sensitivity enables the differentiation between normal and cancerous tissues, as cancerous tissues typically have a higher water content.. Since polar water molecules interact strongly with THz radiation, THz cancer imaging does not require contrast agents for cancer detection. THz imaging has been used to identify skin, breast, and brain cancers in vitro and in vivo. Measuring the hydration levels in the skin by either Transmission Time-Domain Spectroscopy (TDS) or continuous wave THz spectroscopy could determine the lateral spread of basal cell carcinoma. A new approach described in this paper involves obtaining enhanced 3D cancer images using frequency and spatial derivatives of THz absorption images. This innovative method has the potential to improve cancer diagnostics and accurately determine the cancer spread in three dimensions (3D).