Screening through Temperature and Thermal Pattern Analysis in DMBA - Induced Breast Cancer in Wistar Rats

BACKGROUND: Based on thermal temperatures around the breast, thermography is considered a promising approache providing information about the condition of the breast without any side effects. OBJECTIVE: Using thermography, breast screening is highly dependent on the process of heat recognition. The angular effects in the process of thermal patterns recognition can increase false detection. The effect can be observed in breasts with growing mammary glands. This study aims to develop a system to identify breast conditions through analysis of temperature and thermal patterns. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this experimental study, analysis of thermal patterns are performed using the Canny method, specifically detection of anomalies in the breast. Twenty-four Wistar female rats were used as experimental animal models with group 1 (normal), group 2 (induced with DMBA), group 3 (rats with growing mammary gland). At the end of 8 weeks, all rats were sacrificed and histopathology analysis was performed. The body temperature was measured every week using the Infrared Camera type TiS20 brand Fluke camera. RESULTS: Histopathology indicated average temperature of 36.66 °C, 37.77 °C and above 38.87 °C in normal, growing mammary glands, and cancerous breasts, respectively. These results revealed significantly higher heat in breasts with cancerous lesions. In the analysis of thermal pattern recognition for breast, no curve was formed in the normal group, while cancerous and growing mammary glands demonstrated a perfectly closed curve and an imperfect curve pattern, respectively. CONCLUSION: Breast screening through the analysis of temperature and thermal patterns can distinguish normal, cancerous and breast with growing mammary glands.