Application of Finite Difference Time Domain methods to Terahertz Spectroscopy Measurements of Breast Cancer

Terahertz images of breast cancer have revealed contrast between diseased and healthy tissue in ex vivo studies. To understand the origin of the contrast we use terahertz time domain spectroscopy to calculate the optical terahertz properties of breast tissues. These properties are then used in a finite difference time domain model such that the terahertz impulse functions for the healthy and diseased breast tissue are simulated. The simulations corroborate some of the differences seen in the image data and therefore make a step towards determining the contrast mechanisms involved.