Relationship between microvessel density and thermographic hot areas in breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to evaluate the validity of thermography in breast examination.


METHODS
We performed contact thermography and measured the direct temperature by inserting a needle-type thermometer into the tissue. The core temperature of the tumor (dTt) and the temperature of the tissue surrounding the tumor (dTs) were compared with normal tissue. The microvessel density (MVD) and the MIB-1 labeling index (MIB-1 LI) of the tumor were examined immunohistochemically. The subjects were 48 women with primary invasive ductal carcinoma. The area of the tumor was diagnosed pathologically, and the hot area was measured using thermography.


RESULTS
The dTt was significantly higher than the dTs. Both the dTt and dTs were significantly higher when the thermographical hot area was positive, or when more than four lymph node metastases were found. The dTs was correlated with MVD. A correlation between MVD and tumor temperature measured directly was also confirmed. A higher dTs was related to the dissociated wide area of the thermogram.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggested a relationship between dTs and the high-risk group of breast cancer. We also found that abnormalities in temperature were reflected in thermography and that a higher dTs was related to the dissociated wide area of the thermogram.
Yahara
Toshiro
T
Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan.
Koga
Toshihiro
T
Yoshida
Shougo
S
Nakagawa
Shino
S
Deguchi
Hiroko
H
Shirouzu
Kazuo
K
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D013817:Thermography