Turkish researchers invent cancer diagnosis technology

Turkish researchers have developed a technology to diagnose cancer from the body temperature through electric current and infrared cameras.

The invention of Nevzat Gencer, Cengiz Beşikçi and Hamza Feza Çarlak -- all academics at the Middle East Technical University's (METU) electrical and electronics engineering department -- is regarded as an alternative to diagnosis methods such as mammography and ultrasonography.

The U.S.-patented "dual-band active thermal imaging using multi-frequency currents," can detect cancerous tissues at an early stage by displaying the temperature changes in the human body with infrared cameras commonly used in the defense industry, Gencer told Anadolu Agency.

"Especially in the diagnosis of breast cancer, thyroid and skin cancer, the heat difference created by cancerous tissues can be detected via thermal cameras," Gencer said.

He noted that the technology "makes a difference" in the diagnosis of cancer, adding:

"The bigger the tumor, the closer it is to the skin, the higher the performance of infrared cameras."

Gencer said it is difficult to detect cancerous tissues that are deep and small in size when using a conventional thermal scanning with an infrared camera.

"We have developed a technology that will overcome this challenge in a genuine way."

The new technology could be used extensively shortly after finding an investor, Gencer added.