Researchers from the U.S. National Institutes of Health are developing an early warning system for breast tumors, which is considered safer than traditional X-ray systems.
The new system will use radio frequency radiation instead of X-rays to detect tumors, allowing women to undergo regular screenings without the fear of exposure to harmful radiation.
A network of hundreds of mini antennas will be attached to a soft, breast-shaped probe. Each antenna will emit a very short burst of microwave energy, quickly scanning through several frequencies at an energy level only 1% that of a typical mobile phone.
Malignant tumors conduct electricity much less effectively than normal tissue, and therefore reflect more signals back to the detector. The software will filter out random reflections from the skin’s surface, and according to researchers, it can produce imaging scans of tumors as small as 1 millimeter.
Although the device’s energy output is low and safe, the signals can penetrate tissue up to 10 cm, eliminating risks that lie deeper within. The scanning process takes only about 1/10 of a second.
T. An
