Abstract: A method of detection of substances embedded in a human host is provided that includes emitting from a coherent beamforming electromagnetic excitation source a spatially scanning, temporally pulsed, electromagnetic excitation signal toward a human host separated by air from the electromagnetic excitation source, where the excitation signal produces an acoustic signal by a substance, detecting the acoustic signal by a CMUT coherent phased array separated by air from the human host, analyzing the detected acoustic signal by a signal processor, and outputting by the processor substance response information according to a scanning position and according to a temporal pulse width of the electromagnetic excitation signal.