Abstract: A method for characterizing tissues within a subject as cancerous or non-cancerous includes determining the electrical properties of the subject. The electrical properties of the subject are fit to a model and a specific range of a set of characteristic frequencies of each tissue is then calculated. Each tissue is finally characterized as cancerous or non-cancerous if the specific range of the set of characteristic frequencies inside or outside, respectively, a pre-determined spread of characteristic frequencies.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting cancerous tissue in a subject is provided. More specifically, the present invention provides a system and method for non-invasively identifying cancerous regions in breast tissue. The system includes a sensor system, a drive system, and a processor. The sensor system includes a sensor plate and, similarly, the drive system includes a drive plate. A time-varying voltage is applied to the drive plate and induced currents are subsequently measured by the sensor plate. Signals indicative of an induced current are then acquired and analyzed by the processor to determine the spatial location of anomalous regions. Subsequently, the anomalous regions are characterized as either cancerous or non-cancerous.

Abstract: A device and method for accurately characterizing tissue impedance employs multiple electrodes at a plurality of separation distances to cancel the effects of front end loading leakage currents and electrode polarization to improve the accuracy of sensitive impedance measurements used to identify cancerous tissues. These measurements may be automated over a range of frequencies.

Abstract: A method for characterizing tissues within a subject as cancerous or non-cancerous includes determining the electrical properties of the subject. The electrical properties of the subject are fit to a model and a specific range of a set of characteristic frequencies of each tissue is then calculated. Each tissue is finally characterized as cancerous or non-cancerous if the specific range of the set of characteristic frequencies inside or outside, respectively, a pre-determined spread of characteristic frequencies.

Abstract: A method for characterizing tissues within a subject as cancerous or non-cancerous includes determining the electrical properties of the subject. The electrical properties of the subject are fit to a model and a characteristic frequency of each tissue is then calculated. Each tissue is finally characterized as cancerous or non-cancerous if its characteristic frequency lies above a threshold value.

Abstract: A device for characterizing ex vivo tissue employs a set of independent electrodes that may be used to scan the tissue by moving a voltage gradient across the tissue surface acquiring impedance spectrographs that may be mapped to an image.

Abstract: A device and method for accurately characterizing tissue impedance employs multiple electrodes at a plurality of separation distances to cancel the effects of front end loading leakage currents and electrode polarization to improve the accuracy of sensitive impedance measurements used to identify cancerous tissues. These measurements may be automated over a range of frequencies.

Abstract: An electrical parameter imaging apparatus and method includes the acquisition of a charge distribution pattern on an array of electrodes that surround an object being imaged. In addition the exterior boundary, or contours of the object is measured by an array of light beams and associated light sensors. The contour measurement is employed to provide a first estimate of the object geometry needed to compute an electrical parameter image from the acquired charge distribution pattern.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting cancerous tissue in a subject is provided. More specifically, the present invention provides a system and method for non-invasively identifying cancerous regions in breast tissue. The system includes a sensor system, a drive system, and a processor. The sensor system includes a sensor plate and, similarly, the drive system includes a drive plate. A time-varying voltage is applied to the drive plate and induced currents are subsequently measured by the sensor plate. Signals indicative of an induced current are then acquired and analyzed by the processor to determine the spatial location of anomalous regions. Subsequently, the anomalous regions are characterized as either cancerous or non-cancerous.

Abstract: A device for characterizing ex vivo tissue employs a set of independent electrodes that may be used to scan the tissue by moving a voltage gradient across the tissue surface acquiring impedance spectrographs that may be mapped to an image.

Abstract: A method for characterizing tissues within a subject as cancerous or non-cancerous includes determining the electrical properties of the subject. The electrical properties of the subject are fit to a model and a characteristic frequency of each tissue is then calculated. Each tissue is finally characterized as cancerous or non-cancerous if its characteristic frequency lies above a threshold value.

Abstract: An electrical parameter imaging apparatus and method includes the acquisition of a charge distribution pattern on an array of electrodes that surround an object being imaged. In addition the exterior boundary, or contours of the object is measured by an array of light beams and associated light sensors. The contour measurement is employed to provide a first estimate of the object geometry needed to compute an electrical parameter image from the acquired charge distribution pattern.

Abstract: An electrical property imaging system includes an array of sensors placed around an object to measure the surface charges thereon as a sinusoidal voltage is applied thereacross. The resulting distribution of charges inside the object are calculated using a stored charge correlation matrix. Electrical property images are produced from the internal charge distribution image.

Abstract: Enhanced information on the electrical properties of the subregions of a sample is generated by an enhanced tomography (EPET) apparatus connected to a tomographic device, wherein the EPET apparatus holds a voltage constant and measures the electrical current of the sample inserted within the EPET apparatus. A matching medium is applied to the sample such that when the sample is placed within an electromagnetic field generated by the EPET apparatus, the matching medium contacts the segmented sensor plates of the EPET apparatus and allows the detection of the net total charges Q on the surface of the sample. The EPET apparatus uses these net total charges Q in the calculation of the additional information on the electrical properties of the sample by using the scale factor method or the iterative correction method.

Abstract: An electrical property imaging system includes an array of sensors placed around an object to measure the surface charges thereon as a sinusoidal voltage is applied thereacross. The resulting distribution of charges inside the object are calculated using a stored charge correlation matrix. Electrical property images are produced from the internal charge distribution image.

Abstract: Packaged materials are tested in a capacitive sensor which has plates whose spacing can be accurately adjusted, and whose plates are segmented so that selected segments can be employed. An a.c. voltage is applied across the capacitive plates at accurately known amplitude, phase, and frequency for a number of frequencies. A ratio bridge is tied to each number of frequencies. A ratio bridge is tied to each of the segments and provides outputs that reflect the a.c. voltage and current, both capacitive and ohmic. A zero-crossing detection method or time domain method can be employed to provide precise amplitude and phase, or a quadrature or phase-sensitive detection method can provide amplitude and phase, or a quadrature or phase-sensitive detection method can provide amplitude and phase of the a.c. current through each segment.

Abstract: An improved holographic scanner includes circuitry for adjusting the frequency with which an analog photodetector signal is sampled in accordance with the focal length of the scanning beam produced by the active holographic facet. Two embodiments are shown. In one embodiment, facet-edge signals are used to track the facets. A processor retrieves a predetermined frequency scaling factor appropriate for each facet. In the other embodiment, a holographic disk carries an auxiliary data track. The track has timing indicia with spatial frequencies dependent upon the focal length of the adjacent facet. The timing indicia are used to control the output of a voltage controlled oscillator in a circuit including a phase locked loop.

Abstract: Pictorial images of selected volume elements of materials are generated by a contactless, non-destructive, substantially hazard free tomographic technique in which the material is brought within the influence of a relatively low-strength electromagnetic field and subjected to plural preselected frequencies to provide output data which is used to generate an image reflective of the magnetic and/or electric and/or conductance properties of the selected volume elements. This data has a high volume information content which enables accurate and reproducible identification of the material under investigation. The technique has application in the medical diagnostic field such as for example in aiding in the detection of small areas of cancerous tissue present in a larger mass of healthy tissue.

Abstract: The non-linear conductance and capacitance characteristics of electrically non-homogenous materials over a given frequency range are used to identify and analyze such materials.

Abstract: The type of conductor, its property, and if a metal, its type and cross-sectional area can be obtained from measurements made at different frequencies for the amount of unbalance created in a previously balanced stable coil detection system. The true resistive component is accurately measured and thus reflects only the voltage loss attributable to eddy currents caused by introduction of the test sample to the coil system. This voltage divided by corresponding applied frequency gives a curve which peaks at a frequency dependent upon type of conductor. For a metal this peak frequency is proportional to the samples resistivity divided by its cross-sectional area.