Experimental approach for breast cancer center estimation using infrared thermography

Abstract

Diagnostics of tumors using thermal cameras are generally conducted in adjuvant examinations because infrared images detect radiation that translates to surface temperature measurements. That is, it is not feasible to detect the location and tumor size using only the direct thermal images. The objective of this work is to develop a new technique that is capable of identifying the coordinates of the geometric center of a tumor present internally in a breast, by using only superficial temperature measurements acquired by an infrared camera. The technique is based on the use of correlations, dimensionless solutions of the temperature field in the breast, and definitions of variables that do not require knowledge of the thermal properties and metabolism of the tissue. Applications of the technique in vitro (phantom tissue sample) are presented. The phantom tissue (silicone) is instrumented with electrical resistances for simulating the internal heat generation effects caused by a tumor. The experimental results demonstrate that the maximum error in the estimation of the tumor depth was 3.82 mm. The technique exhibits high potential for in vivo applications and can be an effective tool for increasing the specificity in detection of breast cancer from IR images.