The Use of Infrared Thermography in the Assessment of Thermal Reaction of Patients Treated with Radiotherapy after Breast-Conserving Procedures

Dominika Plaza (), Agnieszka Baic, Barbara Lange, Łukasz Michalecki, Krzysztof Ślosarek, Agata Stanek and Armand Cholewka
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Dominika Plaza: Radiotherapy Planning Department, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeze Armii Krajowej Street 15, 44-102 Gliwice, Poland
Agnieszka Baic: Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Silesia, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1A, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland
Barbara Lange: IIIrd Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Department, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeze Armii Krajowej Street 15, 44-102 Gliwice, Poland
Łukasz Michalecki: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Clinical Center, Medical University of Silesia, Ceglana Street 35, 40-514 Katowice, Poland
Krzysztof Ślosarek: Radiotherapy Planning Department, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeze Armii Krajowej Street 15, 44-102 Gliwice, Poland
Agata Stanek: Department and Clinic of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Batorego 15 St., 41-902 Bytom, Poland
Armand Cholewka: Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Silesia, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1A, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of the infrared thermography method in the assessment of the body’s thermal reaction in patients during radiotherapy. Studies have shown how the temperature distribution changes with the dose of radiation used in each treatment week. Fifty-four patients participated in the study. The control group consisted of healthy patients, among whom the difference in mean temperatures between the breasts was checked. The study group included patients after conserving procedures qualified for radiotherapy. Measurements were taken and analyzed for each patient during each week of treatment. The target area (marked by a doctor) and the 30 Gy, 20 Gy and 10 Gy isodoses (generated from the treatment plan) were transferred on thermograms and then analyzed. This way of defining the observed areas is the most accurate and individually adjusted to each treated patient. The analysis showed an increase in temperature in the tested body surface areas, whereas the highest average temperature value was achieved during the third week of treatment. The observations may be used to evaluate the skin reaction from radiation; however, they require further studies and new quantitative parameters.

Keywords: infrared thermography; radiotherapy; isodoses; isotherms; breast cancer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:21:p:14187-:d:957976

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