Modern Artificial Intelligence Enhanced Breast Thermography: Better Cameras, Better Algorithms have led to Acceptable Clinical Performance

Abstract

Infrared thermal imaging technology has been used in medicine since the 1960s (1) but fell out of favour with the introduction of more sophisticated imaging technologies. Recently, there has been a global resurgence in the utilisation of thermal imaging in many regions of the body (2) (Figure 1A). This has been possible due to improvements in camera capability along with development of advanced computational techniques to assist in reading of images. This report will review the important innovations that have renewed the utilisation of breast thermography to detect breast abnormalities.