Re: Medical RF Imaging

[Eugene Mah <eugenem@IX.NETCOM.COM>]

Perhaps something along the lines of electrical imepdance imaging?

I see numerous papers on the subject, especially in Physics in Medicine

and Biology, and the IEEE Transactions in Nuclear Science and Medical

Imaging.  Some of the images I saw a few years back were intriguing,

but quite low resolution.



I remember a few years ago seeing a company with a laser CT designed

for breast imaging at RSNA.  They showed some interesting looking images

that might have been useful for identifying and characterizing masses,

but fairly low resolution.  Don't know what became of the company or

the technology as I haven't seen them at RSNA since.



I have a vague recollection of seeing a paper somewhere about

someone trying to do some microwave imaging through a sample.

only a vague memory of a paper i glanced at while doing literature searches

for my thesis.



I think one potential barrier is the significant amount of attenuation and 

scatter

in the RF range after going through any significant thickness of tissue.

However, I am by no means an expert in the field, so this is merely conjecture

on my part.



Eugene



>At 09:37 AM 07/30/2001 +0100, Gary Isenhower wrote:

>Thanks to everyone who responded to my question.  I got several "Ever

>heard of MRI?" messages.  I should have explicitly said that I am very

>familiar with MRI, even know something about the quantum mechanics

>involved :)

>

>I posed the question because MRI is very expensive and requires a huge

>magnet.  I was thinking, wouldn't it be nice if there was a cheap,

>portable RF imaging device.  In college I participated in some research

>that sought to use RF transmission thru tissue to determine glucose

>levels in the blood ( for diabetics).  I believe that device is now

>widely available.

>

>I imagined something like a computed tomography scanner that could

>measure RF transmission, then use filtered back projection to

>reconstruct an image.  Even if only say 2-10% transmission is detected,

>that should be plenty to determine absorption coefficients.  I

>"fantasized" that such could be made as small as (or smaller than) some

>of the new mini c-arms that have become popular recently

>

>So far, I have heard no solid reason why its impossible.  Perhaps I will

>invent it and become a "biased corporate interest".  Then I could

>completely reverse my position on radiation safety and urge the public

>to shun harmful radiation in favor of my all-natural imaging technology.

>;)

>     _______________________________________________

>

>         Gary Isenhower

>         713-798-8353

>         garyi@bcm.tmc.edu





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