Medical Infrared Imaging of the Breast:
An Analysis of 100 Successive Cases of Breast
Cancer
William C. Amalu, DC, DABCT, FIACT
PCRC Infrared
Imaging Lab – Redwood City,
California
March 18,
2015
The following data presents the findings
in 100 successive cases of breast cancer using medical infrared imaging (MIR).
Thermovascular markers were detected using a specialized high-resolution
computerized medical infrared imaging system capable of detecting minute
variations in the regional vascular perfusion of the microdermal circulation. The
imaging system used is composed of a highly sensitive infrared camera coupled to
a central processing unit capable of multitasking capabilities including post-image
processing and accurate temperature measurements (Spectron IR 640 Medical
Infrared Imaging System). All pre-imaging patient preparation protocols and
laboratory requirements were strictly adhered to as per established MIR
standards and guidelines.
Following MIR interpretation guidelines,
each patient was referred back to their primary care provider with
recommendations for follow-up imaging or testing. The final diagnosis in each
case was made by biopsy.
In the data presented is a special
category of patients. In this group MIR was the first alarm that anything was
wrong. If it were not for MIR all of these patients would not have known they
had breast cancer.
When analyzing each
breast, 20 basic thermal attributes are used in the grading process. A computerized
analysis of both thermovascular patterns and objective temperature values are compared
to a normative database. This determines where each breast is graded into one
of five thermobiological classifications:
TH1 – uniform non-vascular
TH2 – uniform vascular
TH3 – questionable
TH4 – abnormal
TH5 – very abnormal
The following is a summary of the MIR findings in 100 successive
cases of breast cancer –
Thermobiological Grade
3 (TH3 – questionable): 22 cases
·
Of the 22 cases, 10 were “first alarm”
thermograms.
·
Of the 22 cases, only 9 were true TH3s. The
remaining 13 cases were TH3+ (TH3+ thermograms are almost TH4s)
·
Of the 22 cases, 2 cases had bilateral breast
cancer graded TH3 in both breasts.
·
One case was only 28 years old. This was the
youngest patient in all of the 100 cases.
·
Of the 22 cases, 10 cancers were in the right
breast and 12 in the left breast.
Thermobiological Grade
4 (TH4 – abnormal): 43 cases
·
Of the 43 cases, 22 were “first alarm”
thermograms.
·
Of the 43 cases, 1 case had bilateral breast
cancer graded TH3 in one breast and TH4 in the other.
·
Of the 43 cases, 1 patient was pregnant.
·
Of the 43 cases, 1 patient had a 3 year
lead-time thermogram warning.
·
Of the 43 cases, 14 cancers were in the right
breast and 29 in the left breast.
Thermobiological Grade
5 (TH5 – very abnormal): 35 cases
·
Of the 35 cases, 18 were “first alarm”
thermograms.
·
One case was only 36 years old.
·
Of the 35 cases: 3 were TH6s, 2 were TH7s, 2
were TH8s, and 1 case was a TH9
·
Of the 35 cases, 1 patient had a 4 year
lead-time thermogram warning.
·
Of the 43 cases, 13 cancers were in the right
breast and 22 in the left breast.
Summary –
Of the 100 cases 22% were TH3 (questionable),
43% were TH4 (abnormal), and 35% were TH5 (very abnormal). As such, 78% of the
cases were TH4 or TH5 abnormals. This closely approaches the published
literature stating that approximately 85% of all breast cancers are found in
the TH4-5 range. If we were to adjust the data to include only the true TH3
thermograms, 92% of the breast cancer cases in this group would have been found
in the abnormal range.
Of note, 37% of the breast cancers were
found in the right breast while 63% of the cancers were discovered in the left
breast. This agrees with the literature that the vast majority of breast
cancers are found in the left breast.
The 22% of all cases found in the TH3
range points out the importance of making sure that if recent structural
imaging has not been done that all TH3 graded thermograms are followed up with
structural imaging.
Of greatest importance is the 50% of the
women who had “first alarm” thermograms. All of these women would not have
known they had breast cancer if it were not for MIR. Many of whom would have
gone from a year to many years before having any other imaging done. How many
of these women would have died if not for this technology? How many breasts
were conserved due to MIR? What about the women in this group who were under 40
years of age? Cancers in this age group are usually more aggressive and have
poorer survival rates.
As an adjunctive imaging technology, MIR
offers every woman the possibility of earlier detection. The unique capability
of MIR may also play a significant role in prevention. Studies continue to
demonstrate that the addition of MIR to every woman’s regular breast health
care increases survival rates along with preserving the breast.
