Possibility of using near infrared irradiation for early cancer diagnosis

Penetration of near infrared radiation (NIR) through biological tissues (human wrist, muscle and skin of hen, muscle of mollusk) was studied. The possibilities of visualizing various objects within biological tissues were examined. It is found that: (a) it is possible to see small objects with millimeter and sub-millimeter dimensions; and (b) by using NIR rays it is possible to distinguish different parts of small homogeneous biological tissues. NIR can be a possible tool in the near future to visualize millimeter size cancerous outgrowths located inside human body cavities. It will enable diagnosis of cancer at an early stage of development.