Apparatus and method for detecting abnormalities in bodily matter

An electrical tomographic method for detecting abnormalities in bodily matter comprising the steps of:

• generating electrical signals at a plurality of frequencies;
• using an electrode arrangement, applying the electrical signals to the bodily matter and detecting electrical impedance properties of the bodily matter;
• and
• using data processing means correlating the detected electrical impedance properties with a database of impedance properties corresponding to bodily matter of known composition in order to determine the presence or absence of abnormalities in the bodily matter;
• wherein electrical signals of a frequency greater than 1 MHz are applied to the bodily matter;
• and characterised in that the data processing means correlates the detected electrical impedance properties with the presence or absence of abnormalities using a fractal model of tissue impedance which can be described as comprising a Zcom structure having a bridge configuration comprising first and second Zcom units in series with one another, third and fourth Zcom units in series with one another and in parallel with the first and second Zcom units, and a fifth Zcom unit bridging between the first, second, third and fourth Zcom units, each Zcom unit optionally comprising at least one additional level of Zcom structure, each Zcom unit in the Zcom structure or the last of the Zcom structures comprising a Zcell structure comprising first, second and third Zcells, the first and second Zcells being in series, and the first and second Zcells being in parallel with the third Zcell, each Zcell optionally comprising at least one level of Zcell structure, each Zcell in the Zcell structure or the last of the Zcell structures comprising a single cell equivalent circuit which can be described as comprising:
• (i) a first membrane impedance circuit comprising cell membrane capacitance in series with membrane resistance, the cell membrane capacitance and membrane resistance being in parallel with cross membrane resistance;
• (ii) a second intracellular impedance circuit comprising intracellular capacitance in series with intracellular resistance, the intracellular capacitance and intracellular resistance being in parallel with intracellular cross-resistance;
• and
• (iii) a third extracellular impedance circuit comprising extracellular capacitance in series with extracellular resistance, the extracellular capacitance and extracellular resistance being in parallel with extracellular cross-resistance;
• the first membrane impedance circuit and the second intracellular impedance circuit being in series, and the first membrane impedance circuit and the second intracellular impedance circuit being in parallel with the third extracellular impedance circuit.