Characterizing the tissue dielectric constant of skin basal cell cancer lesions

• Published in: Skin research and technology 2018-11, Vol.24 (4), p.686-691
• Main Authors: Mayrovitz, H. N., Gildenberg, S. R., Spagna, P., Killpack, L., Altman, D. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Basal cell carcinoma; Body Water; Cancer; cancer cell permittivity; cancer differentiation; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - physiopathology; Diagnosis, Differential; Dielectric constant; Electric Impedance; Female; Humans; In vivo methods and tests; Lesions; Male; Measurement methods; Measuring instruments; Middle Aged; Moisture content; Patients; Permittivity; Skin cancer; Skin diseases; Skin Diseases - diagnosis; Skin Diseases - physiopathology; Skin Neoplasms - diagnosis; Skin Neoplasms - physiopathology; skin permittivity; Skin Physiological Phenomena; skin water; Tissues; Water content
• ISSN: 0909-752X; 1600-0846
• DOI: 10.1111/srt.12585

Background Measuring tissue dielectric constant (TDC) of cancer tissues to distinguish them from normal or non‐cancerous tissues has been an active area of research that has targeted several different cancer types usually using in vitro specimens. The goal of this study was to determine if and to what extent TDC values measured in vivo at 300 MHz using a simple hand‐held measuring device might differentiate between skin cancer lesions and non‐cancerous skin. Materials and Methods Triplicate TDC measurements were made in 32 patients who were subsequently diagnosed with skin basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and in 14 patients subsequently diagnosed as having non‐cancerous lesions. Lesion TDC values were compared to contralateral unaffected skin and between lesion types. Results A significantly lower TDC value (mean ± SD) of BCC lesions (TDCL) vs TDC values of contralateral non‐affected skin (TDCC) was found (22.4 ± 16.2 vs 38.1 ± 15.2, P