Handheld Terahertz Three-dimensional Spectral Scanner

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy is a technique that has shown promise in biomedical imaging for the diagnosis of burn wounds. However, current portable terahertz imagers are either limited by size, requiring motion stages to move a scanning head over a sample, or by alignment issues associated with their image acquisition techniques. The current state of the art technique for burn examination remains subjective clinical examination, where clinical diagnosis is often delayed for days to assess if the burn has reached its maximum depth. There remains a need for high-speed, objective diagnostic tools to improve accuracy while assessing burn depth and affected surface area, which are pivotal factors that guide therapeutic decision making.

Technology Overview:

The inventors have developed a portable handheld spectral reflection (PHASR) scanner which is alignment-free, and can acquire three-dimensional spectroscopic images in the terahertz range between 0.1 and 3 THz. The PHASR scanning device uses an asynchronous optical sampling system to achieve quick scan times, and is only attached by an umbilical. The device’s portability and quick scan times allow it to be used in clinical settings where previous devices could not be used. The device has been used to characterize burn injuries in animal studies, and a human clinical trial is being planned to further test the use of the device for diagnosing burn wounds and predicting wound healing outcomes.

Advantages:

Provides an objective assessment of burn wounds - Fast image acquisition - Portable

Intellectual Property Summary:

US Patent Issued: US12146790, 
Patent Application Published: WO2020185886

Stage of Development:

Human Data

Licensing Status:

Available

Licensing Potential:

Development partner - Commercial partner - Licensing