Hybrid Lidar-Radar for Medical Diagnostics

The Technology & Background: The noninvasive and early detection of biological tissue abnormalities with submillimeter dimensions, such as cancerous tumors, is an important challenge and constant improvements are being sought. The well-established X-ray and ultrasound techniques lack the resolution to detect such small objects some of which may be cancerous tumors. In addition, the risk of tissue ionization that may damage healthy tissues prevents the use of X-rays for routine examination. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has submillimeter resolution, but the cost of this technique is still high for general use. The need for a safe, inexpensive, and efficient method for the early detection of tissue imperfections, such as cancerous tumors, has led to the investigation of optical imaging techniques. After several years of research and development at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, MD a new hybrid lidar-radar system was developed and patented. Technology Solution: A hybrid lidar-radar system for detecting the presence of objects, such as cancerous tumors, within tissues by detecting reflected signals from the tissue and discriminating the information related to the cancerous tumor from the undesirable backscattering of light created by the tissue itself. The hybrid lidar-radar system utilizes continuous wave light that is preferably modulated at frequencies up to 60 GHz. The present invention filters the return signals from the tissue at a subcarrier modulation frequency so as to reject erroneous information contained in scattered lights, while at the same time retaining the coherent, unscattered and modulated light information so as to provide for an accuracy detection of tumors within tissues. Summary of Benefits: Safe; noninvasive; allows for early detection of biological tissue abnormalities; higher resolution; detects smaller objects; prevents damage to healthy tissues; inexpensive.