Advanced Search
Advanced Search
Previous Article Next Article
Article navigation > Opto-Electronic Engineering > 2018 Vol. 45 > No. 5 > 170528
Next Article Previous Article

Ye Hui, Xi Mingrong, Cao Hanyu, et al. Applications of terahertz technology in medical science and research progress[J]. Opto-Electronic Engineering, 2018, 45(5): 170528. doi: 10.12086/oee.2018.170528
Citation: Ye Hui, Xi Mingrong, Cao Hanyu, et al. Applications of terahertz technology in medical science and research progress[J]. Opto-Electronic Engineering, 2018, 45(5): 170528. doi: 10.12086/oee.2018.170528
shu

Applications of terahertz technology in medical science and research progress

  • 1.

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China

  • 2.

    Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China

  • 3.

    Terahertz Science and Technology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China

  • 4.

    Terahertz Research Centre, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China

    • Fund Project: Supported by Terahertz Science and Technology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Fund (SCTHZ2017002)
More Information
Received Date 07 October 2017
Revised Date 05 March 2018
Published Date 01 May 2018
    Abstract
  • Terahertz radiation (0.1 THz~10 THz) has attracted extensive attention of researchers recently, because of its prominent detecting ability and its noninvasive and non-ionization properties. Terahertz technologies can be categorized into terahertz imaging and terahertz spectroscopy according to the manner of detection and signal processing. With the rapid development of terahertz technology, detection of macromolecule and imaging of tissues have achieved impressive progresses. Differences of water content and variations of structure or component are essential mechanisms of terahertz biomedical imaging, which was used in identifying different biomedical tissues. Terahertz spectroscopy is an edge technology for recognizing biomolecules, cells and tissues, based on their individual terahertz spectral fingerprints by assessing their absorbance, reflective and refractive index. Based on its properties, terahertz technology has great potential ability for clinical application, especially for real-time and label-free identification. However, this technology needs to overcome several difficulties, like biological safety. In this review, we introduce the applications of terahertz imaging and spectroscopy in medical science and medical research progress, and also discuss the difficulties of terahertz technology and potential biological safety.
    • FullText(HTML)
  • 加载中
    • References
  • [1] Moulton P F. Spectroscopic and laser characteristics of Ti:Al2O3[J].Journal of the Optical Society of America B, 1986, 3(1): 125–133. doi: 10.1364/JOSAB.3.000125

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [2] Bakopoulos P, Karanasiou I, Pleros N, et al. A tunable continuous wave (CW) and short-pulse optical source for THz brain imaging applications[J]. Measurement Science and Technology, 2009, 20(10): 104001. doi: 10.1088/0957-0233/20/10/104001

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [3] Pawar A Y, Sonawane D D, Erande K B, et al. Terahertz technology and its applications[J]. Drug Invention Today, 2013, 5(2): 157–163. doi: 10.1016/j.dit.2013.03.009

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [4] Shumyatsky P, Alfano R R. Terahertz sources[J]. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2011, 16(3): 033001. doi: 10.1117/1.3554742

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [5] Fan S T, He Y Z, Ung B S, et al. The growth of biomedical terahertz research[J]. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 2014, 47(37): 374009. doi: 10.1088/0022-3727/47/37/374009

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [6] 齐娜, 张卓勇, 相玉红.太赫兹技术在医学检测和诊断中的应用研究[J].光谱学与光谱分析, 2013, 33(8): 2064–2070.

    Google Scholar

    Qi N, Zhang Z Y, Xiang Y H. Application of terahertz technology in medical testing and diagnosis[J]. Spectroscopy and Spectral Analysis, 2013, 33(8): 2064–2070.

    Google Scholar

    [7] Yang X, Zhao X, Yang K, et al. Biomedical applications of terahertz spectroscopy and imaging[J]. Trends in Biotechnology, 2016, 34(10): 810–824. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2016.04.008

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [8] Hu B B, Nuss M C. Imaging with Terahertz Waves[J]. Optics Letters, 1995, 20(16): 1716–1718. doi: 10.1364/OL.20.001716

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [9] Sy S, Huang S Y, Wang Y X J, et al. Terahertz spectroscopy of liver cirrhosis: investigating the origin of contrast[J]. Physics in Medicine & Biology, 2010, 55(24): 7587–7596.

    Google Scholar

    [10] Grootendorst M R, Fitzgerald A J, de Koning S G B, et al. Use of a handheld terahertz pulsed imaging device to differentiate benign and malignant breast tissue[J]. Biomedical Optics Express, 2017, 8(6): 2932–2945. doi: 10.1364/BOE.8.002932

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [11] Fan B, Neel V A, Yaroslavsky A N. Multimodal imaging for nonmelanoma skin cancer margin delineation[J]. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2017, 49(3): 319–326. doi: 10.1002/lsm.22552

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [12] Ahmed M, Rubio I T, Klaase J M, et al. Surgical treatment of nonpalpable primary invasive and in situ breast cancer[J]. Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, 2015, 12(11): 645–663. doi: 10.1038/nrclinonc.2015.161

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [13] Png G M, Choi J W, Ng B W H, et al. The impact of hydration changes in fresh bio-tissue on Thz spectroscopic measurements[J]. Physics in Medicine & Biology, 2008, 53(13): 3501–3517.

    Google Scholar

    [14] Sun Y W, Fischer B M, Pickwell-MacPherson E. Effects of formalin fixing on the terahertz properties of biological tissues[J]. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2009, 14(6): 064017. doi: 10.1117/1.3268439

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [15] Fan S T, Ung B, Parrott E P J, et al. Gelatin embedding: a novel way to preserve biological samples for terahertz imaging and spectroscopy[J]. Physics in Medicine & Biology, 2015, 60(7): 2703–2713.

    Google Scholar

    [16] Hoshina H, Hayashi A, Miyoshi N, et al. Terahertz pulsed imaging of frozen biological tissues[J]. Applied Physics Letters, 2009, 94(12): 123091.

    Google Scholar

    [17] Sim Y C, Park J Y, Ahn K M, et al. Terahertz imaging of excised oral cancer at frozen temperature[J]. Biomedical Optics Express, 2013, 4(8): 1413–1421. doi: 10.1364/BOE.4.001413

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [18] He Y Z, Ung B S, Parrott E P J, et al. Freeze-thaw hysteresis effects in terahertz imaging of biomedical tissues[J]. Biomedical Optics Express, 2016, 7(11): 4711–4717. doi: 10.1364/BOE.7.004711

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [19] Jung E A, Lim M H, Moon K W, et al. Terahertz pulse imaging of micro-metastatic lymph nodes in early-stage cervical cancer patients[J]. Journal of the Optical Society of Korea, 2011, 15(2): 155–160. doi: 10.3807/JOSK.2011.15.2.155

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [20] Bajwa N, Au J, Jarrahy R, et al. Non-invasive terahertz imaging of tissue water content for flap viability assessment[J]. Biomedical Optics Express, 2017, 8(1): 460–474. doi: 10.1364/BOE.8.000460

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [21] Bajwa N, Sung S J, Ennis D B, et al. Terahertz imaging of cutaneous edema: correlation with magnetic resonance imaging in burn wounds[J]. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 2017, 64(11): 2682–2694. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2017.2658439

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [22] Hernandez-Cardoso G G, Rojas-Landeros S C, Alfaro-Gomez M, et al. Terahertz imaging for early screening of diabetic foot syndrome: a proof of concept[J]. Scientific Reports, 2017, 7: 42124. doi: 10.1038/srep42124

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [23] Kutteruf M R, Brown C M, Iwaki L K, et al. Terahertz spectroscopy of short-chain polypeptides[J]. Chemical Physics Letters, 2003, 375(3–4): 337–343. doi: 10.1016/S0009-2614(03)00856-X

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [24] Kikuchi N, Tanno T, Watanabe M, et al. A membrane method for terahertz spectroscopy of amino acids[J]. Analytical Sciences, 2009, 25(3): 457–459. doi: 10.2116/analsci.25.457

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [25] Ueno Y, Ajito K, Kukutsu N, et al. Quantitative analysis of amino acids in dietary supplements using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy[J]. Analytical Sciences, 2011, 27(4): 351. doi: 10.2116/analsci.27.351

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [26] Lu S H, Zhang X, Zhang Z Y, et al. Quantitative measurements of binary amino acids mixtures in yellow foxtail millet by terahertz time domain spectroscopy[J]. Food Chemistry, 2016, 211: 494–501. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.05.079

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [27] Yamamoto K, Tominaga K, Sasakawa H, et al. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy of amino acids and polypeptides[J]. Biophysical Journal, 2005, 89(3): L22–L24.

    Google Scholar

    [28] Xie L J, Yao Y, Ying Y B. The application of terahertz spectroscopy to protein detection: a review[J]. Applied Spectroscopy Reviews, 2014, 49(6): 448–461. doi: 10.1080/05704928.2013.847845

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [29] Liu R, He M X, Su R X, et al. Insulin amyloid fibrillation studied by terahertz spectroscopy and other biophysical methods[J]. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2010, 391(1): 862–867. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.11.153

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [30] Chen J Y, Knab J R, Ye S J, et al. Terahertz dielectric assay of solution phase protein binding[J]. Applied Physics Letters, 2007, 90(24): 243901. doi: 10.1063/1.2748852

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [31] 滕学明, 田璐, 赵昆.太赫兹技术对营养品中蛋白质含量的研究[J].现代科学仪器, 2012(1): 91–94.

    Google Scholar

    Teng X M, Tian L, Zhao K. Investigation of protein content in nutriment by terahertz spectroscopy[J]. Modern Scientific Instruments, 2012(1): 91–94.

    Google Scholar

    [32] Zou Y, Li J, Cui Y Y, et al. Terahertz spectroscopic diagnosis of myelin deficit brain in mice and rhesus monkey with chemometric techniques[J]. Scientific Reports, 2017, 7: 5176. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-05554-z

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [33] Yang J Q, Li S X, Zhao H W, et al. Molecular recognition and interaction between uracil and urea in solid-state studied by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy[J]. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2014, 118(46): 10927–10933. doi: 10.1021/jp506045q

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [34] Tang M J, Huang Q, Wei D S, et al. Terahertz spectroscopy of oligonucleotides in aqueous solutions[J]. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2015, 20(9): 095009. doi: 10.1117/1.JBO.20.9.095009

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [35] Cheon H, Yang H J, Lee S H, et al. Terahertz molecular resonance of cancer DNA[J]. Scientific Reports, 2016, 6: 37103. doi: 10.1038/srep37103

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [36] Truong B C Q, Tuan H D, Fitzgerald A J, et al. A dielectric model of human breast tissue in terahertz regime[J]. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 2015, 62(2): 699–707. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2014.2364025

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [37] Shi L Y, Shumyatsky P, Rodriguez-Contreras A, et al. Terahertz spectroscopy of brain tissue from a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease[J]. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2016, 21(1): 015014. doi: 10.1117/1.JBO.21.1.015014

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [38] Hou D B, Li X, Cai J H, et al. Terahertz spectroscopic investigation of human gastric normal and tumor tissues[J]. Physics in Medicine & Biology, 2014, 59(18): 5423–5440.

    Google Scholar

    [39] Echchgadda I, Grundt J A, Tarango M, et al. Using a portable terahertz spectrometer to measure the optical properties of in vivo human skin[J]. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2013, 18(12): 120503. doi: 10.1117/1.JBO.18.12.120503

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [40] Reid C B, Reese G, Gibson A P, et al. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy of human blood[J]. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 2013, 17(4): 774–778. doi: 10.1109/JBHI.2013.2255306

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [41] Shiraga K, Ogawa Y, Suzuki T, et al. Characterization of dielectric responses of human cancer cells in the terahertz region[J]. Journal of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, 2014, 35(5): 493–502. doi: 10.1007/s10762-014-0067-y

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [42] Globus T, Dorofeeva T, Sizov I, et al. Sub-Thz vibrational spectroscopy of bacterial cells and molecular components[J]. American Journal of Biomedical Engineering, 2012, 2(4): 143–154. doi: 10.5923/j.ajbe.20120204.01

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [43] Mazhorova A, Markov A, Ng A, et al. Label-free bacteria detection using evanescent mode of a suspended core terahertz fiber[J]. Optics Express, 2012, 20(5): 5344–5355. doi: 10.1364/OE.20.005344

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [44] Wilmink G J, Grundt J E. Invited review article: current state of research on biological effects of terahertz radiation[J]. Journal of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, 2011, 32(10): 1074–1122. doi: 10.1007/s10762-011-9794-5

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [45] Alexandrov B S, Phipps M L, Alexandrov L B, et al. Specificity and heterogeneity of terahertz radiation effect on gene expression in mouse mesenchymal stem cells[J]. Scientific Reports, 2013, 3: 1184. doi: 10.1038/srep01184

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [46] Wilmink G J, Rivest B D, Roth C C, et al. In vitro investigation of the biological effects associated with human dermal fibroblasts exposed to 2.52 THz radiation[J]. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2011, 43(2): 152–163. doi: 10.1002/lsm.v43.2

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [47] Borovkova M, Serebriakova M, Fedorov V, et al. Investigation of terahertz radiation influence on rat glial cells[J]. Biomedical Optics Express, 2017, 8(1): 273–280. doi: 10.1364/BOE.8.000273

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [48] Williams R, Schofield A, Holder G, et al. The influence of high intensity terahertz radiation on mammalian cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation[J]. Physics in Medicine & Biology, 2013, 58(2): 373–391.

    Google Scholar

    [49] Oh S J, Kim S H, Jeong K, et al. Measurement depth enhancement in terahertz imaging of biological tissues[J]. Optics Express, 2013, 21(18): 21299–21305. doi: 10.1364/OE.21.021299

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [50] Tuniz A, Kaltenecker K J, Fischer B M, et al. Metamaterial fibres for subdiffraction imaging and focusing at terahertz frequencies over optically long distances[J]. Nature Communications, 2013, 4: 2706.

    Google Scholar

    [51] Ueno K, Nozawa S, Misawa H. Surface-enhanced terahertz spectroscopy using gold rod structures resonant with terahertz waves[J]. Optics Express, 2015, 23(22): 28584–28592. doi: 10.1364/OE.23.028584

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [52] 尚丽平, 邓琥, 刘娟, 等.基于光导开关脉冲偏置电压的太赫兹时域光谱系统[J].光电工程, 2011, 38(3): 95–99.

    Google Scholar

    Shang L P, Deng H, Liu J, et al. Terahertz time-domain spectrum system based on photoconductive semiconductor switch with offset voltage[J]. Opto-Electronic Engineering, 2011, 38(3): 95–99.

    Google Scholar

    [53] Sun Y F, Sun J D, Zhou Y, et al. Room temperature GaN/AlGan self-mixing terahertz detector enhanced by resonant antennas[J]. Applied Physics Letters, 2011, 98(25): 252103. doi: 10.1063/1.3601489

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [54] 孙云飞, 孙建东, 秦华, 等.基于硅透镜集成的高灵敏度室温太赫兹探测器[J].微纳电子技术, 2017, 54(11): 729–733.

    Google Scholar

    Sun Y F, Sun J D, Qin H, et al. High sensitivity room temperature terahertz detector based on silicon lens integration[J]. Micronanoelectronic Technology, 2017, 54(11): 729–733.

    Google Scholar

    [55] Nagel M, Bolivar P H, Brucherseifer M, et al. Integrated planar terahertz resonators for femtomolar sensitivity label-free detection of DNA hybridization[J]. Applied Optics, 2002, 41(10): 2074–2078. doi: 10.1364/AO.41.002074

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    [56] Park S J, Hong J T, Choi S J, et al. Detection of microorganisms using terahertz metamaterials[J]. Scientific Reports, 2014, 4: 4988.

    Google Scholar

    [57] 何明霞, 陈涛, 杨吉龙, 等.太赫兹成像技术在肿瘤诊断方面的应用[J].肿瘤, 2012, 32(12): 1039–1042. doi: 10.3781/j.issn.1000-7431.2012.12.016

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    He M X, Chen T, Yang J L, et al. The application of terahertz imaging in tumor diagnosis[J]. Tumor, 2012, 32(12): 1039–1042. doi: 10.3781/j.issn.1000-7431.2012.12.016

    CrossRef Google Scholar

    • Overview

  • Overview: Terahertz radiation has attracted extensive attention of researchers recently, because of its prominent detecting ability and its noninvasive and non-ionization properties. The frequency band of terahertz radiation spans from 0.1 THz to 10 THz, which locates in the infrared regions and the microwave of electromagnetic spectrum. Terahertz technologies can be categorized into terahertz imaging and terahertz spectroscopy according to the manner of detection and signal processing. It is a typical interdisciplinary subject which combines electronics and photonics. With the rapid development of terahertz technology, it can be promisingly applied in the fields, such as biomedicine, quality control, security, national defense, environmental monitoring and astronomy. We introduce the current medical application of terahertz imaging and spectroscopy, ranging from vivo to vitro, from animals to human beings, from biomolecules to cells and tissues. Differences of water content and variations of structure or component are essential mechanisms of terahertz biomedical imaging. Setting pathological biopsy as gold standard for comparison, terahertz imaging has been widely used in identifying differences between normal tissues and abnormal tissues, including a variety of solid tumors, diabetic foots and flaps transplantation, etc. Compared with ultrasound, X-ray, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, the comprehensive advantages of terahertz imaging are non-ionization and rapidness with acceptable sensitivity. Additionally, artificial contrast enhancement has been applied in terahertz imaging, such as gold nano-rods. In recent years, terahertz spectroscopy attracts a great deal of attention in probing and identifying various biomaterials. It is an edge technology for recognizing biomolecules, cells and tissues, based on their individual terahertz spectral fingerprints. Because the majority of low-frequency biomolecular motions lies in the terahertz spectrum, like rotation and vibration of the molecular skeleton. Time-domain spectroscopy and time resolved spectroscopy are common terahertz spectroscopy technologies, which analysis the differences of absorption coefficient or refraction index to probe and recognize a variety of biomolecules, cells or tissues. At present, terahertz medical application has achieved impressive progresses in discrimination, such as the detection of macromolecule and the imaging of tissues. Based on its properties, terahertz technology has great potential ability for clinical application, especially for real-time and label-free identification combined with or without pathology biopsy. However, this technology needs to overcome several difficulties, like biological safety, sample processing, detection performance and cost-efficient management. In this review, we introduce the application of terahertz imaging, spectroscopy in medical science and medical research progress, and also discuss the difficulties of terahertz technology and potential biological safety.

    • Relative Articles
  • Supplements
    • Cited by
  • Proportional views
  • 加载中
通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
  • 1. 

    沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院 沈阳 110142

  1. 本站搜索
  2. 百度学术搜索
  3. 万方数据库搜索
  4. CNKI搜索
Overview
Export Citation
PDF view
PDF 848KB
XML

Figures(6)

Tables(1)

Article Metrics

Article views() PDF downloads() Cited by()

Access History

Other Articles By Authors

Article Contents
2018 Vol. 45, No. 5

Catalog

    /

    DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
    Return
    {{news.title}}
    版权所有©中国科学院光电技术研究所　蜀ICP备05022581号   Supported by Beijing Renhe Information Technology Co., Ltd.