Microwave Techniques in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer

Abstract

Naturally emitted thermal radiation of the human body at cm and mm wavelengths can be utilized to image subcutaneous temperature distributions and detect thermally active tumors. Contacting thermographs that were developed for such point-by-point measurements at long cm wavelengths are compared with remotely focussed, imaging thermographs for short cm and mm wavelengths in regard to instrumentation, measurement methods and clinical results in the detection of breast cancer and other tumors. For treatment of cancer microwave irradiation can produce hyperthermia in a more localized region than conventional methods. Various forms of controlling hyperthermia using subcutaneous probes are discussed, and potentials. preliminary animal experiments and limitations of new forms of noninvasive controls using microwave radiometry are given.