Technologies
Medical thermography dates back to 1956, when Canadian scientist Robert Lauson first published data on the experience of using Baird and Rexy infrared devices to diagnose diseases. The author for the first time registered a local increase in the intensity of infrared radiation of the skin area in the area of projection of malignant breast cancer. Then in 1960 this technique was applied in England, in 1961 - in France, and in 1965 - in the U.S. In those years, thermal imaging was used exclusively for the diagnosis of breast tumours. In Russia, B.V. Petrovsky first used thermography for the same purpose in 1966.
The 70s of the XX century turned out to be a period of rapid development of medical thermography. Many countries began to actively build thermal imaging cameras, in 1971 the European Association of Thermographers was organised, in 1972 the first All-Russian Conference on Thermography was held, and in 1974 the first European Congress was held.Since the 80s, due to the imperfection of optical equipment, thermography was forgotten, against the background of rapidly developing techniques of ultrasound sonography and radiological methods of research. Nowadays, with the development of elemental base and data visualisation on the basis of computer technology, the technique is actively developing.
Current state.
Currently, a number of studies are being conducted in the field of thermography application in various fields of medicine. In particular, extensive research has been carried out at the Novosibirsk Institute of Biological Chemistry and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Northern Federal University, Baltic Technological Institute, Tver, Kazan Medical Universities and many others.
Medical thermography is a method of examining patients with the help of a special device - a thermal imager, which allows capturing infrared radiation and converting it into an image - a thermogram, which records the distribution of heat on the body surface. Many pathological processes change the normal distribution of temperature on the body surface, and in many cases temperature changes are ahead of other clinical manifestations, which is very important for early diagnosis and timely treatment. That is why thermography as a method of functional diagnostics has recently gained increasing recognition in various fields of medicine, science and clinical practice.
Thermographic imaging captures changes in body temperature that depend on blood movement and abnormalities caused by tumour development. During diagnosis, both warmer and cooler areas become visible, which can change over time. Because cancer cells grow and multiply very quickly, blood movement and metabolism, and therefore body temperature, are higher in these areas.
The possibilities of thermography are not only applicable in the diagnosis of breast cancer, but also in the examination of the whole body. In addition to cancer, thermal imaging helps to monitor changes in women with cystic fibrosis, infections, allergies and even cardiovascular diseases affecting the arteries.
One of the main advantages of thermography is its reliability (compared to other methods), as well as the possibility of early diagnosis of abnormal cellular activity and the development of neoplasms.
Thermographic images are accurate and sensitive, they pick up even subtle changes in the body, which may hide one or another disease.
Thermal imaging can detect fast-growing active tumours. The device demonstrates thermal areas that may indicate abnormalities, including breast cancer. The procedure may also be applicable for assessing sensory nerve irritation, significant soft tissue damage, and detecting the source of pain.
Currently, the most common method of thermography is matrix remote thermography, which allows to determine functional temperature disorders of the body with high accuracy. The advantages of the method are contactlessness, simplicity of application. The disadvantages include the need for thermal preparation, the presence of consumables in the form of liquid nitrogen, the need for stress tests in the search for cancer, the need to organise a workplace, due to the need to maintain the optimal distance, lighting, temperature and humidity of the environment for the study.
The use of a precision contact thermometer allows the study to be carried out without thermal preparation, does not require the use of consumables in the form of liquid nitrogen, the only consumable is a disposable forming bra, the cost of which is significantly lower than the cost of liquid nitrogen. Polyposition scanning and software allows to overcome the main disadvantage of using a contact thermograph, which is the appearance of induced heat due to the contact of the sensor with the skin.
Thus, the presented methodology is cheaper and easier to use, the research methodology most of all resembles the ECG, allows obtaining data at least as good as the accepted remote thermographs, without requiring serious additional manipulations and organisation of special premises, and, thanks to the software that allows transmitting data to a remote workplace of a doctor, to conduct research in any medical institution, without the participation of a doctor in the study.
