WIDEBAND BIO-IMAGING SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20100278401A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Old Dominion University Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: Old Dominion University Research Foundation
• Inventors: Xiao, Shu, Schoenbach, Karl H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,173,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14

Abstract

An imaging and recordation system is provided. The system includes a high-power, focusing antenna for illuminating biological tissue. The system further includes a power source for powering the antenna. The system further includes a data acquisition module, for recording the dielectric properties of tissues illuminated by the high-power, focusing antenna. The system illuminates the tissues using ultrashort electrical pulses.

Claims

1. An imaging and recordation system, comprising:

a high-power, focusing antenna for illuminating tissues;

a power source for powering the antenna; and

a data acquisition module, for recording the dielectric properties of tissues illuminated by the high-power, focusing antenna;

wherein the system illuminates the tissues using ultrashort electrical pulses.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrashort electrical pulses have a duration on the order of 100 pica seconds (ps).

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is an antenna system comprising a conical wave launching system and a reflector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a prolate spheroidal antenna.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition module implements an inverse scattering algorithm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to feed the antenna high-power pulses with durations on the order of 50-150 pico seconds (ps).

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an image-reconstruction module.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the image-reconstruction module implements an image reconstruction algorithm used in an inverse scattering process.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the image-reconstruction module is configured to generate a spatial resolution of an image with values of 1/7 or 1/10 of a wavelength based on a non-linear algorithm.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrashort electrical pulses have a duration greater than 10 pico seconds (ps) and less than 1000 ps.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to feed the antenna high-power pulses with durations greater than 10 pico seconds (ps) and less than 1000 ps.

10. A method of imaging and processing data, the method comprising:

focusing radiation on a tissue site where there is a predetermined probability that a tumor or other abnormality in permittivity exists;

processing data generated in response to radiating the tissue site; and

reconstructing an image of the tissue site based upon the processing of the data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising illuminating the tissue site using ultrashort electrical pulses having a duration on the order of 100 pico seconds (ps).

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising focusing the radiation using an antenna system comprising a conical wave launching system and a reflector.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a spatial resolution of an image with values of 1/7 or 1/10 of a wavelength based on a non-linear algorithm.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising implementing an image reconstruction algorithm used in an inverse scattering process.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising illuminating the tissue site using ultrashort electrical pulses having a duration greater than 10 pico seconds (ps) and less than 1000 ps.