IMPEDANCE TECHNIQUES IN TISSUE-MASS DETECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION

A device is described for measuring electrical characteristics of biological tissues with plurality of electrodes and a processor controlling the stimulation and measurement in order to detect the presence of abnormal tissue masses in organs. Examples of suitable organs are the breast, skin, oral cavity, lung, liver, colon, rectum, cervix, and prostate and determine probability of tumors containing malignant cancer cells being present in tissue. The approach can also be applied to biopsied tissue samples. The device has the capability of providing the location of the abnormality. The method for measuring electrical characteristics includes placing electrodes and applying a voltage waveform in conjunction with a current detector. A mathematical analysis method is then applied to the collected data, which computes spectrum of frequencies and correlates magnitudes and phases with given algebraic conditions to determine mass presence and type.