Researchers develop new early stage breast cancer detection device

Editor's Note

Researchers from the University of Waterloo have devised a new, noninvasive method for detecting early stage breast cancer in just 2 minutes using very low electro-magnetic frequencies. The findings were first published in August in the Nature journal Scientific Reports. 

The research team discovered that very low electro-magnetic frequencies travel in straight lines. They used this finding to develop a diagnostic device that mimics X-ray mammography, but can be emitted from an antenna, such as in a smartphone.

This energy penetrates the breast tissue and is then picked up by a circuit board made up of pixels that act as a receiver. Using artificial intelligence, the device can interpret the pictures and locate the size and location of any tumor. 

With these promising early results, the research team is planning to next develop a prototype that can be cheaply developed and as easily available for use worldwide as blood-pressure testing.