The use of difference of Gaussian image filtering to assess objectively the correlation between breast vascularity and breast cancer.
The potential of thermography as a screening technique for the early detection of breast cancer was assessed by using difference of Gaussian filtering to isolate and quantify the vascular contents of breast thermograms. Forty-five patients found to have breast cancer and 49 patients who developed breast cancer within 5 years of being screened were paired with normal variants and the thermograms of each group were assessed. No statistically significant separation was resolved between either of the two paired groups implying that the vascular content of isolated thermograms is unable to provide meaningful indications of breast cancer. The processing algorithm, although developed initially for thermograms, is equally valid for other diagnostic imaging techniques and could be of use where it is required to isolate vascularity or other fine detail from larger body structures.
Stevens
R G
RG
Wessex Regional Medical Physics Service, Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK.
Beaman
S A
SA
D001940:Breast / Q000098:blood supply*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*