A speaker introduces the use of thermography, which is the pictorial representation of infrared radiations emitted from the human body. This practice started in 1956, resulting from the observations of Ray Lawson in Montreal, Canada. Specifically, thermography can be used to detect signs of breast cancer. Various images of the thermographic process as well as its impact on detection of breast cancer can be seen throughout the lecture. The program provides a good introduction to the physics and principles of breast thermography. Infrared radiation, black body, resolution element size, field of view and angular resolution are explained. The varying capabilities of thermographic machines are explored. An explanation of the temperature elevation from a breast tumor as measured by the thermographic machine is given. Basic anatomy of the breast and circadian rhythms of breast temperature are reviewed.Normal and abnormal thermograms are shown. Discussion of machine operation is limited to the focus control, range control, and temperature level control knobs. Thermography is not used and accepted universally; screening patients is becoming less frequent. For these reasons, this program may become less important. While limited in its interpretation of the breast thermogram, the program gives a good presentation of the current state of the art of thermography.
Copyright:
The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)