A Survey of Antennas for Skin Cancer Detection: From microwave to terahertz technologies.
Shaghayegh Chamani, Meisam Esfandiari, Xiaojing Lv, Yang Yang, Trevor S. Bird
Abstract
Skin cancer is one of the most common and deadly forms of cancer worldwide. Therefore, there is a critical need for effective and noninvasive diagnostic methods to support clinical decision making. This review comprehensively summarizes the most recent advancements in antenna approaches for skin cancer detection, spanning microwave (MW) to terahertz (THz) technologies. By analyzing the dielectric properties of biological tissues, these technologies exploit the inherent differences in permittivity between cancerous and healthy tissues. The review covers progress in MW, millimeter-wave (mmW), and THz systems for skin cancer sensing and imaging. It also highlights their underlying principles, technical developments, existing challenges, and future opportunities.