Effectiveness of Liquid Crystal Contact Thermography in Detecting Pathological Changes in Female Breasts

Exclusion Criteria

• •1. Performed invasive diagnostics of changes in breasts (treatment performed less than 12 months before inclusion into the study) - relates to a core- needle and mammotome biopsy (also a fine-needle biopsy performed up to 4 weeks before inclusion to the study).
• •2. A breast surgery within 12 months before inclusion into the study (including cosmetic surgeries, i.e. aesthetic implants, fat-graft transfer and hyaluronic acid injection into breasts.
• •3. A visible, considerable breasts asymmetry that makes the examination with an equal number of matrix applications on both breasts impossible.
• •4. A visible considerable breast deformation including appearance of scarring on the breast skin which makes adjustment of the entire matrix surface to the breast gland impossible.
• •5. Previous or ongoing anti-tumour treatment due to the breast cancer.
• •6. Symptomatic acute or chronic breast inflammation, with visible features of inflammation: pain, increased temperature, skin redness, swelling, breast abscesses, breast vessels thrombosis.
• •7. Injury to the breasts with visible clinical properties of extravasation.
• •8. A patient is suffering from an active infection with the body temperature equal to or more than 37.5°C.
• •9. Pregnancy and lactation (pregnancy must be ruled out based on the last period date (\< 30 days), or using effective contraception - with regard to women from group A, in case of any doubts performance of the stripe pregnancy test).
• •10. Alcohol consumption on the day of the visit at the doctor's.
• •11. Intensive physical effort up to 30 minutes before thermographic examination.
• •12. Bath/shower (approximately 2 hours before thermographic examination).
• •13. Using sauna/ steam bath on the day of examination, before thermographic examination.
• •14. Cosmetic and beauty treatments before examination: peeling within the neckline and breasts, hair removal within armpits, application of cosmetics on the breast skin (approximately 2 hours before thermographic examination).
• •15. A direct stay close to the heat or cold sources such as heaters or air conditioners 30 minutes before thermographic examination.