Microwave method to detect and locate cancers in heterogenous tissues

Claim 2

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 1, in which the radiating antenna of step B is also used as the collecting antenna of step C.

Claim 3

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 1, in which, in step B, the input wave is applied to the radiating antenna through an input waveguide having a controllable time delay characteristic.

Claim 4

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 1, and including the additional step of delaying the secondary backscatter wave prior to processing in step D.

Claim 5

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 4, and repeating all steps of the method for a second minute, discrete volume within the tissue of the organism.

Claim 6

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 5, and including the following steps: E. applying additional time delay to the segregated backscatter waves of steps D; F. combining the delayed backscatter waves of step E; and G. varying the time delay of at least one of the method steps to enhance the backscatter waves.

Claim 7

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 6, in which, in step G, phase characteristics are varied to control time delay.

Claim 8

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 1, in which, in step C, the collecting antenna is connected to a return waveguide having a controllable time delay characteristic.

Claim 9

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of a tumor or other abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, such as the tissue of a human breast, wherein the normal tissue has a predetermined dielectric characteristic different from the dielectric characteristic of a tumor or other abnormality or other tissue types, and wherein surface tissue, such as skin, has a different dielectric characteristic than the normal tissue, the method comprising: I. generating a non-ionizing electromagnetic input wave within a preselected wide band frequency range; J. applying the input wave of step I to a radiating antenna in contact with the skin of a living organism to illuminate an adjacent small volume of the near-surface tissues within the living organism and develop a scattered wave from that volume; K. collecting a preselected portion of the scattered wave developed in step J with a collecting antenna in contact with the near-surface tissue of the living organism; L. processing the secondary scattered wave of step K to develop a dielectric characterization of the near-surface tissue; and M. utilizing the dielectric characterization of the near-surface tissues from step L to compensate for perturbations introduced into the scattered returns by the near-surface tissues.

Claim 10

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 9, in which the radiating antenna of step J is also used as the collecting antenna of step K.

Claim 11

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 9, in which the near-surface tissue, in steps K, L and M, is the skin.

Claim 12

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 9, in which the near-surface tissue, in steps K, L and M, is the skin and adjacent normal tissue.

Claim 13

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of a tumor or other abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, such as the tissue of a human breast, wherein the normal tissue has a predetermined dielectric characteristic different from the dielectric characteristic of a tumor or other abnormality or other tissue types, and wherein surface tissue, such as skin, has a different dielectric characteristic than the normal tissue, the method comprising: N. generating a non-ionizing electromagnetic input wave within a preselected wide band frequency range; O. applying the input wave of step A to an array of radiating antennas in contact with the surface of a living organism to illuminate minute, discrete volumes at predetermined positions within the tissue of the living organism and develop a series of scattered waves from these discrete volumes; P. collecting preselected portions of the scattered waves developed in step O with an array of collecting antennas in contact with the surface tissue of the living organism to develop a series of secondary scattered waves from these discrete volumes; Q. processing each of the secondary scattered waves of step P to separate surface tissue backscatter from the secondary scattered waves and develop a series of segregated scattered waves; and R. shifting the timing of each of the segregated scattered waves such that the segregated scattered returns combine constructively for a preselected volume.

Claim 14

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 13, in which step Q includes the sub-step of determining the dielectric characteristics of tissue just below the surface tissue near selected antennas, and including the following additional step: S. modifying the time shift for each of the segregated scattered waves, step R, according to the propagation time developed from the measured dielectric characteristics of the near-surface tissues.

Claim 15

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 13, including the following additional step: T. using the scattered returns from a known scattering source to enhance the combined scattered segregated waves from a preselected location.

Claim 16

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 15, in which the preselected location is a portion of the rib cage.

Claim 17

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 13, in which the radiating antenna of step O is also used as the collecting antenna of step P.

Claim 18

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 13, in which, in step R, the time shift for the scattered returns is introduced by waveguides that have controllable time delays.

Claim 19

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 13, in which the time shifts for the scattered returns required in Step R are introduced in a digital processing unit employed for Step Q.

Claim 20

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in living tissue, according to Claim 13, in which the time shifts for the scattered returns required in Step R are introduced by a function that modifies the phase relationships in steps O, P and Q.

Claim 21

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of a tumor or other abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, such as the tissue of a human breast, wherein the normal tissue has a predetermined dielectric characteristic different from the dielectric characteristic of a tumor or other abnormality or other tissue, and wherein surface tissue, such as skin, has a different dielectric characteristic than the normal tissue, the method comprising: V. generating a non-ionizing electromagnetic input wave within a preselected wide band frequency range; W. applying the input wave of step V to a radiating antenna that is progressively repositioned on surface tissue of a living organism to illuminate minute, discrete volumes at predetermined positions within the tissue of the living organism and develop a series of scattered waves from those volume; X. collecting a preselected portion of the scattered waves developed by step W by a collecting antenna that is progressively repositioned on the surface tissue of the living organism to develop a series of secondary scattered waves from each collecting position that includes surface tissue scattered waves; Y. processing each of the secondary scattered waves of step X to separate surface tissue scatter from the secondary scattered waves and develop a series of segregated scattered waves; and Z. shifting the timing of each of the segregated scattered waves such that the scattered returns from a preselected volume combine constructively.

Claim 22

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 21, in which step Y includes the sub-step of determining the dielectric characteristics of the tissue just below the surface tissue; and AA. modifying the timing of each of the segregated scattered waves according to the propagation time developed from the measured dielectric characteristics of the near surface tissues to enhance the combined returns from a preselected volume.

Claim 23

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 22, and further comprising: BB. using the scattered returns from a known scattering source to further the timing of each of the segregated waves from each of the preselected locations.

Claim 24

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 23, in which the preselected location is a portion of the rib cage.

Claim 25

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 21, in which the radiating antenna array of step W is the same as the collecting antenna array of step X.

Claim 26

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 21, in which, in step Z, the time shifts for the scattered returns are introduced by waveguides that have controllable time delays.

Claim 27

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 21, in which, in step Z, the time shifts for the scattered returns are introduced in a digital processing unit employed for step Y.

Claim 28

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 21, in which, in step Z, the time shifts for the scattered returns are introduced by a function that modifies the phase relationships in steps W, X and Y.

Claim 29

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 21 except that in step W the radiating antenna remains in a fixed position.

Claim 30

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 21 except that in step X the collecting antenna remains in a fixed position.

Claim 31

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of a tumor or other abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, such as a tumor on the prostate glade, wherein the normal tissue has a predetermined dielectric characteristic different from the dielectric characteristic of a tumor or other abnormality or other tissue, and wherein surface tissue near the gland, such as the lining of the rectum, has a different dielectric characteristic than the normal tissue, the method comprising: EE. generating a non-ionizing electromagnetic input wave within a preselected side band frequency range; FF. applying the input wave of step EE to a radiating antenna positioned on surface tissue of a living organism such that the input wave preferentially illuminates a preselected volume within the tissue of the living organism and develops scattered waves from that volume; GG. collecting scattered waves from the preselected volume of step FF by a collecting antenna that is positioned on the surface tissue of the living organism to develop a series of secondary scattered waves that include surface tissue scattered waves; II. processing each of the secondary scattered waves of step GG to separate surface tissue scatter from the secondary scattered waves and develop a series of segregated scattered waves; and KK. combining the segregated scattered waves of step II in a display that shows the position of abnormalities.

Claim 32

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism. according to Claim 31, in which the radiating antenna of step FF is also used as the collecting antenna.

Claim 33

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 31, in which the volume of the tissue that is illuminated by the antenna array in step FF is controlled by controlling the time delay of the applied signal to each antenna within the array.

Claim 34

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in the living tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 31, in which the scattered waves of volume of the tissue that is collected by the antenna array in step GG is controlled by controlling the time delay of the applied signal to each antenna within the array.

Claim 35

A non-invasive method of detecting the presence of a tumor or other abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, such as a tumor on the prostate glade, wherein the normal tissue has a predetermined dielectric characteristic different from the dielectric characteristic of a tumor or other abnormality or other tissue, and wherein surface tissue near the gland, such as the lining of the rectum, has a different dielectric characteristic than the normal tissue, the method comprising: LL. generating a non-ionizing electromagnetic input wave within a preselected wide band frequency range; MM. applying the input wave of stp LL to a cylindrical antenna that is positioned on surface tissue of the urethra such that it preferentially is in contact with the skin of a living organism to illuminate a preselected volume within the tissue of the living organism and develops scattered waves from that volume; NN. collecting scattered waves from the preselected portion of the living tissue by a collecting antenna that is positioned on the surface tissue of the living organism such that it preferentially collects the scattered waves from the preselected volume of step MM to develop a series of secondary scattered waves that includes surface tissue scattered waves; OO. processing each of the secondary scattered waves of step NN to separate surface tissue scatter and scatter from equipment interfaces from the secondary backscatter wave and to develop a segregated scattered wave; PP. repeating steps MM, NN, and OO to develop another segregated scattered wave from another preselected volume; and QQ. combining the segregated scattered waves of steps NN and PP in a display that shows the position of abnormalities.

Claim 36

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 35, in which the radiating antenna of step MM is also used as the collecting antenna of step NN.

Claim 37

A non-invasive method of detecting an abnormality in the tissue of a living organism, according to Claim 35, in which the volume of the tissue that is illuminated by the antenna of step MM is controlled by repositioning the antenna of step MM.