Detecting Danger at the Smallest Scale

Cancer survival can sometimes hinge on finding problems early using ultrasound, CT and MRI scans. They’re effective. They’re also expensive and limited to detecting abnormalities a millimeter or more in size, a point at which a cancer has had time to progress. But Dr. Jennifer Barton of the UA Biomedical Engineering Interdisciplinary Program is overcoming those limitations with pioneering work in optical coherence tomography. This technique concentrates light on tissue, reading what’s reflected back in the same way sonar “reads” shapes based on reflected sound. Unlike other scans, this optical technology delivers amazing detail -- showing, in some cases, a single molecule. So in a field where early detection makes all the difference, Barton’s work with the minuscule set to play a massive role in saving lives.