[Use of radiothermometry in the screening of nonpalpable breast neoplasms]

As compared with other types of malignancies, breast cancer is one of the commonest causes of female death. Mammography used for screening is associated with radiation exposure and it is of low informative value in women less than 35 years of age. Breast ultrasonography (USG) cannot be used for screening of women less than 35 years of age in whom a glandular component is prevalent in the breast structure as it takes much time and should be performed by a qualified specialist. The purpose of our study was to estimate the diagnostic capacities of microwave radiothermometry (RTM) and to determine its place in the early diagnosis of nonpalpable breast neoplasms in medical practice. An integrated study, including RTM, USG, and mammography, was conducted in women at the District Mammology Department, Diagnostic Center Five, and at Branch One of the Female Health Clinic Diagnostic Center in March 2003 to October 2006. The study covered 200 women aged 35 to 71 years who had neither complaints nor clinical signs of a breast nodule and had been found to have neoplasms after undergoing the above diagnostic studies. The studies performed showed that the sensitivity of RMT diagnosis, USG, and mammography was 86.7, 75.8, and 88.3%, respectively. The precision of these techniques was 75.2, 80.0, and 83%.