Thermal imaging as a tool for evaluating tumor treatment efficacy

Oshrit A. Hoffer, Merav A. Ben-David, Eyal Katz, Dana Zoltnik Kirshenabum, Dror Alezra, Yair Zimmer, Itzhak Kelson, Israel Gannot

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in the Western world. Thermography is a nonionizing, noninvasive, portable, and low-cost method that can be used in an outpatient clinic. It was tried as a tool to detect breast cancer tumors, however, it had too many false readings. Thermography has been extensively studied as a breast cancer detection tool but was not used as a treatment monitoring tool. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of using thermal imaging as a feedback system to optimize radiation therapy. Patients were imaged with a thermal camera prior and throughout the radiotherapy sessions. At the end of the session, the images were analyzed for temporal vasculature changes through vessels segmentation image processing tools. Tumors that were not responsive to treatment were observed before the radiation therapy sessions were concluded. Assessing the efficacy of radiotherapy during treatment makes it possible to change the treatment regimen, dose, and radiation field during treatment as well as to individualize treatment schedules to optimize treatment effectiveness.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number058001
JournalJournal of biomedical optics
Volume23
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2018

Keywords

  • breast cancer
  • radiation therapy
  • thermal imaging
  • treatment monitoring

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Biomaterials
  • Biomedical Engineering

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