Thermal evaluation of breast disease using local cooling

A simple, inexpensive local cooling system for thermal evaluation of breast disease is described. Skin temperature measured during a 10-minute cooling process averaged 1.2degrees C higher over 31 proved cancers and 0.6degrees C lower over 18 benign masses. Forty-nine masses averaged 1.7 cm in diameter and were 1.5 cm deep; 23 of 31 malignancies (74%), 16 of 18 benign growths (88%), and 46 of 52 "normals" (88%) would have been correctly diagnosed, while results for 10 of 22 women (45%) with asymmetrical diffuse non-malignant disease would have been falsely classified positive.