Improved liquid cholesterol ester crystal thermography of the breast

Abstract

The infrated detection apparatus used in breast thermography is relatively costly and therefore is not widely available to less populated areas in the country. The use of liquid cholesterol crystals, applied to the breast (applied over a water-base black dye) has already been described in the literature as an effective substitute for infrared instrument thermography. This method, however, has been hampered by the time and troublesome effort necessary for removal of the substances upon completion of the study. The object of this study was to devise a feasible method of cutaneous breast thermography using liquid cholesterol esters, as in prior studies, but by applying them to an easily removable black base. As a result the length of the examination has been shortened, and patients have found the examination to be aesthetically more acceptable. With this improved method, liquid crystal thermography of the breast (and other areas) should become more widely applicable.

Method for Quantifying Assessment of Contract Thermography: Effect of Extremity Dominance on Temperature Distribution Patterns

“…The technique has been used successfully to detect temperature elevations caused by malignant breast cancer (1,2,8,14), and temperature depressions caused by the entrapment of peripheral nerves and blood vessels (1 0, 13,15, 17, 19). Thetmography also has been used to detect deep vein thrombosis (6, 1 1, 18); vascular occlusion predictive of CVA (1 2,21,22); tissue death in instances of frostbite, diabetic ulcers, and bums (6,13,17,19,21); stress fractures (1,6); arthritis and bursitis (7,13); and tendinitis (3,5).…”

Liquid‐Crystal Thermography in Determining the Lateral Extents of Basal‐Cell Carcinomas

“…Liquid‐crystal thermography was first described by Fergason in 1964 1 . In the same year the procedure was also reported in the dermatologic literature by Crissey et al 2 Since then the method has found applicability in the detection of carcinoma of the breast, 3–6 in the study of abnormal venous patterns 7 including peripheral vascular disease and localization of incompetent perforator veins, 5 in placental localization, 5,8,9 in predicting the viability of pedicle flaps, 5,10 in measuring the therapeutic response to intra‐arterially injected reserpine, 11 in evaluating the effectiveness of sympathetic blockade, 12 in evaluating pulmonary disease, 5 in study of the pathophysiology of vitiligo, 5 and in detecting the presence of primary or metastatic carcinoma in the skin 4 …”