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Detection of Breast Abnormality Using Rotational Thermography

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Application of Infrared to Biomedical Sciences

Part of the book series: Series in BioEngineering ((SERBIOENG))

Abstract

Breast cancer is considered to be one of the major causes for high mortality rates in young women in the developing countries. Survival rate in breast cancer patients may be improved significantly by early detection . In order to detect cancer in its initial stages breast screening is recommended for women over 40 years of age. Due to the limitations of existing breast cancer screening techniques alternative modalities such as thermography are being explored. An elevation in local surface temperature due to an underlying pathology is considered as one of the earliest indications of an underlying cancer. Such regions are represented as hotspots on a conventional thermogram. Detection of these hotspots from conventional breast thermograms is quite challenging, mainly due to incomplete image acquisition. A novel technique called rotational thermography has been developed to address this issue. In this chapter, a frame work has been presented for developing a breast cancer screening system using thermograms acquired with this new imaging modality. Image features are extracted from rotational thermograms in spatial, bispectral, and multi-resolution domains. Optimal features are identified using genetic algorithm and automatic classification is performed using support vector machine . In addition to screening, attempt has been made to characterize a detected abnormality as benign or malignant . As rotational thermography acquires images of the breast in multiple views, study is carried out to locate the position of the tumor in correlation with ultrasound and biopsy findings. Thus the potential of the system for screening, characterization, and localization of breast abnormalities is explored.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to register their profound gratitude to Mr. N. Kannan of M/s Tuscano Systems Pvt. Ltd., Chennai, India, for the installation of the Rotational Thermography unit and complete technical support for the same.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, MNM Jain Engineering College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    Sheeja V. Francis

  2. Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    M. Sasikala

  3. Breast Clinic, Vijaya Health Centre, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    Sandeep D. Jaipurkar

Authors
  1. Sheeja V. Francis
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  2. M. Sasikala
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  3. Sandeep D. Jaipurkar
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Correspondence to Sheeja V. Francis .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Eddie YK Ng

  2. Medical Image and Signal Processing Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Mahnaz Etehadtavakol

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Francis, S.V., Sasikala, M., Jaipurkar, S.D. (2017). Detection of Breast Abnormality Using Rotational Thermography. In: Ng, E., Etehadtavakol, M. (eds) Application of Infrared to Biomedical Sciences. Series in BioEngineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3147-2_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3147-2_9

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