title: Thermographic patterns of the breast: a critical analysis of interpretation.
abstract: In a prospective evaluation, 1,000 consecutive breast thermograms were categorized as either normal or having 1 of 4 abnormal patterns: diffuse, asymmetrical, focal, or peri-areolar. Of 49 proved carcinomas, 43 produced an abnormal patterns; the asymmetric type was 3 times as common as the focal. Tumors producing focal patterns were slightly smaller than those producing asymmetrical patterns. Almost 30% of the non-malignant lesions produced an abnormal thermogram. This procedure can not generally be used to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions; there may be, therefore, little diagnostic value in categorizing abnormal thermograms. The usefulness of thermography in the detection of occult carcinomas has not been established.
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D013817:Thermography