Collaborative Research: Development and Evaluation of Reflective THz Medical Imaging for Skin Burns

目的研制一套皮肤烧伤医学成像系统。初步结果表明，反射太赫兹成像系统可用于猪皮肤烧伤的高分辨率和高组织状态对比度成像。提出的系统方法基于传统雷达技术，大大简化了系统组件，并实现了近实时的太赫兹成像。脉冲光导开关用作宽带、自由空间耦合太赫兹发射机，天线耦合、零偏置肖特基二极管整流器用于时间门控接收机的前端。在拟议的工作过程中获得的体外和体内数据将建立皮肤烧伤太赫兹成像的能力，并为未来的工作和向科学界传播提供大量的图像数据。更广泛的影响除了直接的工程和医疗效益外，拟议的研究还将通过创造各种机会来促进学生的学习和教学，例如校际研讨会，以便在两个校区的教师、临床医生、博士后研究人员、研究生和本科生之间进行有意义的互动。例如，加州大学圣迭戈分校将于2008年秋季开设一门新的太赫兹科学与技术课程，将电气工程、物理、化学和生物专业的学生带到一个真正的跨学科学习环境中。

ObjectiveThe objective of this work is to develop a medical imaging system for skin burns. Preliminary results indicate that a reflective terahertz (THz) imaging system can be used to image burns on porcine skin with high resolution and high tissue-condition contrast. Intellectual MeritThe proposed system approach is based on conventional radar technology and significantly simplifies the system components and enables near real-time THz imaging. A pulsed photoconductive switch is used as the broadband, free-space-coupled THz transmitter, and an antenna-coupled, zero-bias Schottky diode rectifier is used in the front-end of a time-gated receiver. Both in-vitro data and in-vivo data taken over the course of the proposed work will establish the capabilities of THz imaging of skin burns, and provide a large set of imagery data for future work and for dissemination to the scientific community. Broader ImpactIn addition to the direct engineering and medical benefits, the proposed research will also promote student learning and teaching by creating a variety of opportunities, such as intercampus seminars, for meaningful interaction between faculty, clinicians, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students on both campuses. For example, a new course on THz Science and Technology will be offered on the UCSB campus Fall of 2008 and will bring in students from Electrical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to a truly interdisciplinary learning environment.