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Volume 34, Issue 2, Pages 207-211 (April 2010)


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The use of bioimpedance in the detection/screening of tongue cancer

Tai-Ping Sunab1, Congo Tak-Shing Chingab1Corresponding Author Informationemail address, Chi-Sheng Chengc1, Su-Hua Huangd, Yi-Juai Chene, Chin-Sung Hsiaof, Ching-Haur Changf, Shiow-Yuan Huangf, Hsiu-Li Shiehb, Wei-Hao Liua, Chia-Ming Liua, Chung-Yuan Chenb

Accepted 30 December 2009. published online 15 January 2010.

Abstract 

Oral cancers are the 11th most common malignancy reported worldwide, accounting for 3% of all newly diagnosed cancer cases, and one with high mortality ratios among all malignancies. The objectives of this study were therefore to study the electrical properties of cancerous tongue tissue and normal tongue tissue, as well as to investigate a new approach for low-cost, noninvasive, and real-time screening of oral cancer. Twelve tongue cancer patients and twelve healthy subjects participated in this study. A disposable probe with four silver electrodes was used to measure the electrical properties of patient's and healthy subject's tongue tissues at six different frequencies, which were 20Hz, 50kHz, 1.3MHz, 2.5MHz, 3.7MHz and 5MHz. The amplitude of the applied voltage was limited to 200mV. Four measurement parameters of impedance, phase angle, real part of impedance, and imaginary part of impedance of tongue were assessed to see if significant difference in values obtained in patient's and healthy subject's tongue tissues existed. Intraclass correlation coefficient showed that all measurements had good reliability and validity (ICC>0.95 for all measurements). Significant differences were found at 20Hz (p<0.05–0.001 for the four measurement parameters) and 50kHz (p<0.001 for the four measurement parameters) between patient's and healthy subject's tongue tissues. In conclusion, bioimpedance at a particular frequency is a potentially promising technique for tongue cancer screening.

a Graduate Institute of Biomedicine and Biomedical Technology, National Chi Nan University, Nantou, Taiwan

b Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chi Nan University, Nantou, Taiwan

c Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

d Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan

e Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

f Department of Photonics and Communication Engineering, Asia University, Taichung County, Taiwan

Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Graduate Institute of Biomedicine and Biomedical Technology, National Chi Nan University, No. 1 University Rd., Puli, Nantou County 54561, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 492910960x4774; fax: +886 492912434.

1 These authors contributed equally to this work.

PII: S1877-7821(10)00002-0

doi:10.1016/j.canep.2009.12.017


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