High reliability thermistor probes for early detection of breast cancer using skin contact thermometry with thermal imaging

Abstract

Early detection and wide spread screening of breast cancer can reduce the mortality rate considerably. Affordable and easy to use screening device is essential for mass screening. In this paper, we demonstrate a simple, precise and easy tool for screening and early detection of breast cancer based on the higher temperature of abnormal tissues. We have made excellent reliability chip thermal sensor probes and developed 3D and 2D thermal imaging system that can predict the hot spot precisely by simple surface temperature measurements. The chip thermal sensor probes show less than 0.5% drift in resistance upon thermal and electrical aging. Various phantom experiments were conducted to demonstrate the use of chip thermistor probes for predicting the position of the heater location accurately. We have also found that the subtle changes in surface temperatures were accurately picked up by the thermistors. It is observed that simulated and experimental results were having best fit within root mean square error of 0.055.