Continuous-wave terahertz reflection imaging of ex vivo nonmelanoma skin cancers

Nonmelanoma skin cancers are the most common form of cancer. Continuous wave terahertz imaging has the potential to differentiate between nonmelanoma skin cancers and normal skin. Terahertz imaging is non-ionizing and offers a high sensitivity to water content. Contrast between cancerous and normal tissue in transmission mode has already been demonstrated using a continuous wave terahertz system. The aim of this experiment was to implement a system that is capable of reflection modality imaging of nonmelanoma skin cancers. Fresh excisions of skin cancer specimens were obtained from Mohs surgeries for this study. A CO2 optically pumped far-infrared molecular gas laser was used for illuminating the tissue at 584 GHz. The reflected signal was detected using a liquid Helium cooled Silicon bolometer. The terahertz images were compared with sample histology. The terahertz reflection images exhibit some artifacts that can hamper the specificity. The beam waist at the sample plane was measured to be 0.57 mm, and the system's signal-to-noise ratio was measured to be 65 dB.