Developing guidelines for biomedical imaging

The use of terahertz (THz) radiation in a wide range of medical applications, including diagnostics and imaging has been made possible in theory due to a series of technological breakthroughs. However, further safety data on the effect of THz radiation on biological systems is needed before widespread application.

Health

THz technology could form the next step in the evolution of the non-invasive biomedical engineering. The EU's THz-Bridge project concentrated on the examination of the effects of THz radiation on a variety of biological systems, including cells, macromolecules and tissues. The underlying aim was to provide comprehensive guidelines for the development of biomedical imaging at THz frequencies. The data that resulted from the project were collected in the form of a database, which is available to the public. The information contained therein is the result of a series of spectroscopic studies analysing the spectral profiles of selected enzymes, biological membranes, in the frequency range of 100GHz to 20Hz. These profiles provided the basis for the identification of the critical frequencies which might cause damage to biological systems and also the ideal spectral regions for imaging applications. The set up of the database allows access to approximately 50 different spectra in order to maximise the potential reach of these results within the scientific community. The database can be accessed from the THz-Bridge project homepage http://www.frascati.enea.it/THz-BRIDGE/(opens in new window) .