AN EVALUATION OF CONTACT THERMOGRAPHY AS A SCREENING METHOD FOR BREAST CANCER

Abstract

In the secondary screening of mass-examination for breast cancer, contact thermography was used together with mammography and echography as a supplementary method of diagnosis, and its usefulness and limitations were investigated. The thermoplate used was a “Breast Thermo Detector” made by the Finpat Corporation, Italy. In the present study, we carried out diagnoses with special reference to the thermal profile in the mass area. The results indicated that the rate of correct diagnosis in breast cancer cases was 68% in general, 86% for T>2cm and 38% for T_??_2cm. In histopathological findings, it was easy to differentiate fibroadenoma and cystic mastadenoma from breast cancer, but this was not easy in the case of mastopathy. Therefore, contact thermography was not thought to be useful enough for scrupulous examination for breast cancer. This examination method was, however, valuable from the viewpoint of ease of use and reduced expense when used only as a means of supplementary diagnosis.