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

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.