Knowledge Bank

Optical microscopy is commonly used to investigate observable characteristics in biological tissue. A method will be presented to image electrical properties of tissue using known engineering techniques that will complement conventional histopathology. Eddy current detection involves measuring the electrical properties of a conductive sample in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field. Biological tissue has a small but nonzero conductivity and so a precise signal filter is needed to detect small changes in the shape and size of tiny current paths (eddy currents) in the sample. Characteristics of abnormal tissue such as morphology, macromolecule concentration and ion transport contribute to varying electrical properties in a biological sample. Detecting and quantifying these characteristics on the order of micrometers has the potential to improve the staging and diagnosis of disease. The development of the proposed device will be described as well as the future plans to validate using a wax phantom, porcine tissue, and surgically excised human tissue.