Relational millimeter-wave interrogating

Abstract

Methods disclosed may include interrogating a subject with millimeter-wave electromagnetic radiation, and generating data representative of a selected feature of a subject may include serial comparative interrogating for processing. Serial processing may include first interrogating a given subject at a first time, generating a data set from the first interrogating, second interrogating the subject at a second time different than the first time, generating a data set from the second interrogating, and identifying information corresponding to a given feature of the subject from each data set. Non-serial processing may include interrogating a subject, generating a data set from the interrogating, identifying information corresponding to a first feature of the subject, and identifying information corresponding to a second feature of the subject. Processing may also include comparing the information identified, and/or rendering representations of the information identified and presenting the representations rendered.

1 . A method, comprising: 
 performing interrogating events for a given surface of a given subject at different times, each interrogating event including: 
 interrogating at least the given surface with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz; and  
 generating a data set corresponding to the given surface; and  
   comparing information from at least two data sets corresponding to the given surface, wherein the information compared is from data sets generated during different imaging events.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a body portion.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the body portion is at least partially covered by material at least partially transparent to the electromagnetic radiation.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the material is one or more of clothing, a cast, a wound dressing, and a bandage.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information from each data set corresponds to one or more of a two-dimensional representation of the given surface, a cross-sectional representation of the given surface, a three-dimensional representation of the given surface, a topographic representation of the given surface, and a numerical measurement of the given surface.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein comparing further comprises: 
 rendering a representation of the information from each data set; and    presenting the representations rendered.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein rendering a representation includes rendering one or more of a graphical representation and a textual representation.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein rendering a graphical representation includes rendering one or more of a two-dimensional representation, a cross-sectional representation, a three-dimensional representation, and a topographic representation; and wherein rendering a textual representation includes rendering an alphanumeric representation.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein presenting includes displaying the representations one or more of sequentially and concurrently.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein displaying the representations concurrently includes displaying the representations in tabular format.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein displaying the representations concurrently includes displaying the representations by superimposition.  
   
   
       12 . A computer program product comprising: 
 computer code arranged, when executed, to perform the method of  claim 1;  and    a computer readable medium that stores the computer code.    
   
   
       13 . A computer readable storage medium with a computer program thereon, comprising at least one code segment that, when executed, performs the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       14 . A method, comprising: 
 first interrogating a given subject at a first time with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;    generating, from the first interrogating, a data set representative of the given subject;    second interrogating the given subject at a second time different than the first time with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;    generating, from the second interrogating, a data set representative of the given subject; and    identifying, from each data set generated, information corresponding to a given feature of the given subject.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the subject includes a body portion.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the body portion is at least partially covered by material at least partially transparent to the electromagnetic radiation.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the material is one or more of clothing, a cast, a wound dressing, and a bandage.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the information identified from each data set corresponds to one or more of a two-dimensional representation of the given feature, a cross-sectional representation of the given feature, a three-dimensional representation of the given feature, a topographic representation of the given feature, and a numerical measurement of the given feature.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 comparing the information identified.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 rendering a representation of the information identified from each data set; and    presenting the representations rendered.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein rendering a representation includes rendering one or more of a graphical representation and a textual representation.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein rendering a graphical representation includes rendering one or more of a two-dimensional representation, a cross-sectional representation, a three-dimensional representation, and a topographic representation; and wherein rendering a textual representation includes rendering an alphanumeric representation.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein presenting includes displaying the representations one or more of sequentially and concurrently.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein displaying the representations concurrently includes displaying the representations in tabular format.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein displaying the representations concurrently includes displaying the representations by superimposition.  
   
   
       26 . A computer program product comprising: 
 computer code arranged, when executed, to perform the method of  claim 14;  and    a computer readable medium that stores the computer code.    
   
   
       27 . A computer readable storage medium with a computer program thereon, comprising at least one code segment that, when executed, performs the method of  claim 14 .  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising identifying, from at least one data set generated, information corresponding to a second feature of the subject corresponding to the first feature.  
   
   
       29 . A system, comprising: 
 an apparatus operable to interrogate a given subject at different times with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;    a controller coupled to the apparatus, the controller being adapted to: 
 operate the apparatus;  
 generate a data set representative of the given subject each time the subject is interrogated; and  
 identify, from each data set, information corresponding to a given feature of the given subject;  
   a device coupled to the controller, and operable to present the information identified.    
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one controller is further adapted to render a representation of the information identified from each data set; and wherein the device coupled to the controller is further operable to present the representations rendered.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the representation rendered includes one or more of a graphical representation and a textual representation.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the graphical representation includes one or more of a two-dimensional representation, a cross-sectional representation, a three-dimensional representation, and a topographic representation.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the textual representation includes an alphanumeric representation.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 29 , in which the controller further includes at least one processor and a medium storing processor-readable instructions.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 29 , in which the controller further includes at least one processor; processor code arranged, when executed on the at least one processor, to perform at least one action; and a processor readable medium that stores the processor code.  
   
   
       36 . A system, comprising: 
 means for interrogating a given subject at different times with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;    means for generating, from each interrogating, a data set representative of the given subject; and    means for identifying, from each data set generated, information corresponding to a given feature of the given subject.    
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 means for rendering a representation of the information identified from each data set; and    means for presenting the representations rendered.    
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the representation rendered includes one or more of a graphical representation and a textual representation.  
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the graphical representation includes one or more of a two-dimensional representation, a cross-sectional representation, a three-dimensional representation, and a topographic representation.  
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the textual representation includes an alphanumeric representation.  
   
   
       41 . A method, comprising: 
 interrogating a subject with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;    generating, from the interrogating, at least one data set representative of at least a portion of the subject;    identifying, from the at least one data set, information corresponding to a first feature of the subject; and    identifying, from the at least one data set, information corresponding to a second feature of the subject corresponding to the first feature.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the subject is a body.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the first feature is a body portion and the second feature is a contralateral body portion.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 rendering a representation of the information corresponding to each feature; and    presenting the representations rendered.    
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein rendering a representation includes rendering one or more of a graphical representation and a textual representation.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein rendering a graphical representation includes rendering one or more of a two-dimensional representation, a cross-sectional representation, a three-dimensional representation, and a topographic representation.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein rendering a textual representation includes rendering an alphanumeric representation.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the first feature is a body portion and the second feature is a contralateral body portion, wherein rendering a graphical representation of the information corresponding to each feature includes rendering a mirror image of one of the features, and wherein presenting the representations rendered includes superimposing the graphical representations.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising: 
 identifying a plane of symmetry along the body;    comparing the shape of a first body portion on one side of the plane with the shape of an opposing second body portion on the other side of the plane.    
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 determining whether the shape of the first body portion is symmetrical with the shape of the second body portion; and    producing an output identifying the first and second body portions when the shapes of the first and second body portions are determined to be asymmetrical.    
   
   
       51 . A computer program product comprising: 
 computer code arranged, when executed, to perform the method of  claim 41;  and    a computer readable medium that stores the computer code.    
   
   
       52 . A computer readable storage medium with a computer program thereon, comprising at least one code segment that, when executed, performs the method of  claim 41 .  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising 
 identifying, from each data set, information corresponding to the first feature of the subject,    wherein interrogating a subject includes first interrogating a given subject at a first time with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz and second interrogating the given subject at a second time different than the first time with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz; and    wherein generating includes generating a data set representative of the given subject from the first interrogating and from the second interrogating.    
   
   
       54 . A system comprising: 
 means for interrogating a subject with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;    means for generating, from the interrogating, at least one data set representative of at least a portion of the subject;    means for identifying, from the at least one data set, information corresponding to a first feature of the subject; and    means for identifying, from the at least one data set, information corresponding to a second feature of the subject corresponding to the first feature.    
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 54 , further comprising: 
 means for presenting the information identified.    
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the subject is a body, and wherein the first feature is a body portion and the second feature is a contralateral body portion.