Clinical evaluation of thermography in the diagnosis of malignant tumors in the oral and maxillo-facial region

摘要

Thermographic images of 48 cases of malignant tumors were analyzed and compared with those of other lesions: 93 cases of acute inflammation, 48 cases of chronic inflammation, 48 cases of benign tumors and 28 cases of cystic lesions. The majority of the cases with malignant tumors showed higher skin temperature over the affected area, but usually not so remarkable such as those of the cases with acute inflammation. The border of the thermal pattern of the tumors showed the tendency to be unclear. Both malignant tumors and acute inflammation appeared to cause an increase in skin temperature of the common carotid artery region on the affected side as compared with the opposite side. Malignant tumors showed the tendency that the temperature of the common carotid artery region of the affected side is equal or lower than the affected region in many cases. It is suggested that with further sophistication of the system suitable for the maxillofacial region, thermography may serve a role in the clinical diagnosis of malignant tumors.