Thermal Risk Classifications in Breast Cancer

Introduction: Every organ beneath the skin radiates heat. A portion of the radiated heat reaches the surface of the skin forming a stable pattern, or map. The temperature of the skin at a specific point is directly related to the heat transferred from the subcutaneous organs. Breast thermography is a medical science that evaluates these thermal patterns to derive diagnostic indications related to risk of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: In this Study, There are ten qualitative signs relating to specific thermovascular patterns found in physiological or pathological conditions, and twelve quantitative signs pertaining to the temperature characteristics of the ten qualitative signs. The presence of each of these twenty-two signs carries a weighted numerical value (score) based on its statistical frequency of occurrence and statisticallyderived pathological significance in a large symptomatic population. Results: The sum of the scores of which twenty-two signs are present is mapped to five risk classifications, with each classification indicating an assessment of the patient s risk. The five classes are TH1: Normal at very low risk, TH2: Borderline normal at low risk, TH3: Borderline abnormal at equivocal risk, TH4: Abnormal at high risk, and TH5: Severely abnormal at extremely high risk. Discussion and conclusion: Breast thermography is an accurate, safe and noninvasive imaging technique that involves no touching or compression of the breast and uses no potentially dangerous radiation

Keywords:

Breast thermography , breast cancer , temperature characteristics