Infrared Imaging for Breast Cancer Detection with Proper Selection of Properties: From Acquisition Protocol to Numerical Simulation

Bezerra, Luciete A., Federal University of Pernambuco; Oliveira , Marília M., Federal University of Pernambuco; Araújo,, Marcus C, Federal University of Pernambuco; Viana, Mariana J. A., Federal University of Pernambuco; Santos, Ladjane C., Federal University of Pernambuco; Santos, Francisco G. S., Federal University of Pernambuco; Rolim, Tiago, Federal University of Pernambuco; Lyra, Paola R. M. , Federal University of Pernambuco; Lima, Rita C. F., Federal University of Pernambuco; Borschartt, Tiago B., Fluminense Federal University; Resmini, Roger, Fluminense Federal University; Conci, Aura, Fluminense Federal University

doi:10.1117/3.1000499.ch11

Book: Multimodality Breast Imaging: Diagnosis and Treatment

Editor(s): E. Y. K. Ng; U. Rajendra Acharya; Rangaraj M. Rangayyan; Jasjit S. Suri

Author(s): Luciete Bezerra, Marília Oliveira , Marcus Araújo,, Mariana Viana, Ladjane Santos, Francisco Santos, Tiago Rolim, Paola Lyra, Rita Lima, Tiago Borschartt, Roger Resmini, Aura Conci

Published: 2013

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.1000499.ch11

Author Affiliations +

Abstract

Infrared (IR) imaging has been shown to be a promising technique for the early diagnosis of breast pathologies and as a screening technique before any symptoms occur. The concept of a combined diagnostic enables a high degree of specificity and sensibility in such diagnosis. An abnormal thermogram is reported as a significant biological risk marker for the existence or development of breast diseases. Some authors state that thermography may have the potential to detect breast cancer ten years earlier than the traditional golden method: mammography. Moreover, according to some authors, whenever the breast is exposed to x-ray radiation, the risk of cancer increases by 2%. In the last ten years, the use of IR images in medical applications and diagnosis has advanced greatly. Part of this is due to infrared cameras being more accurate. On the other side, significant efforts have been made to advance the medical community’s acceptance of this technology. There remain important issues, such as: standardization, wider publication, using an iterative web-based database, and acquiring and interpreting precise images, all of which should be improved in order to reach this goal. In this chapter, some of these aspects are examined, and their results presented a contribution toward achieving better results in such issues. All of the 3D numerical simulations that were run aim to reach a better understanding of breast abnormalities and to learn more about how the use of IR images can validate such calculations. Finally, all of the approaches were used to perform a preliminary estimate of several physical breast and tumor parameters.