Aperture Synthesis Thermography - A New Approach to Passive Microwave Temperature Measurements in the Body

The radio astronomical technique of aperture synthesis is proposed for use in medical applications to give, noninvasively, a thermal image of a large fraction of the human body to a depth of several centimeters with no microwave irradiation. The principles of operation are illustrated by a practical design which could give a sensitivity of a few milli-Kelvin over a 50-cm field in a 10-s exposure. Applications of the proposed system include detection of cancers and other infections, and also rest-time monitoring of the effects of hyperthermia on the surrounding tissue.