Value of Mammary Thermography in Differential Diagnosis

Abstract

Thermographic examinations of the breasts were carried out in 359 women, most of whom had mammary symptoms. Of the 195 patients with abnormal thermograms, 27 had cancer of the breast, 53 had benign lesions, and 115 had no confirmed organic disease. The incidence of false-positive thermograms was 59%. Of the 164 patients with normal thermograms, 116 had no confirmed organic disease, 41 had benign lesions, and 7 had cancer. The incidence of false-negative mammary thermograms was 29%. We conclude that mammary thermography is of no practical value in the differential diagnosis of symptomatic mammary disease.