ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld a ruling against an Athens man who sought to suppress evidence that he said was based on a thermal imaging scan that was improperly obtained.

James Brundige faces various drug charges after authorities say they found a marijuana grow operation in his home in 2009. One of the search warrants in the case was based in part on a thermal imaging scan.

Brundige argued that was inadmissible because under state law thermal imaging shouldn't be considered "tangible evidence" for which a search warrant can be issued.

The state high court said in an opinion published Monday that the judge who issued the warrant found sufficient probable cause outside the thermal imaging scan to make the question of whether it's "tangible evidence" irrelevant.