ABSTRACT
The terahertz wave frequency is located between macroscopic electronics and microphotonics.Therefore,this kind of radiation exhibits both photonic properties and electronic characteristics,and thus has great application potentials.So far,important breakthroughs have been achieved in developing terahertz sources and detection technologies.It is believed that the terahertz wave may lead to revolutionary development,especially in the field of biomedicine.Recently,the radiation effects of terahertz wave on biological activities have become a major issue in the field of life sciences,however,it is still at an initial stage worldwide.Therefore,this paper reviewed the physical characteristics and biological effects of terahertz wave and aimed to provide a reference for further medical studies of terahertz wave.
ABSTRACT
Terahertz wave is a new coherent far infrared source that spans the gap between microwave and infrared radiation. Compared with microwave, X-ray and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) imaging, terahertz imaging has the advantages of high resolution and no harm to biological samples, which has been comprehensively applied in biomedical fields in recent years, especially in cancer diagnosis. Combined with the terahertz imaging systems of transmission type and reflection type, a general review of its application in diagnosis of skin basal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, liver cancer and cervical cancer is provided. The achievements and the problems to be solved are also discussed, which made a beneficial exploration to the cancer diagnosis technology. Copyright © 2012 by TUMOR.