Breast cancer detection by manual surface temperature detector: Comparison with results of thermography and mammography

Breast cancer detection using a manual surface temperature detector, thermography, and mammography was evaluated in a prospective study of 1,000 women. Detection sensitivity was 64%, 78%, and 78% for the manual surface temperature detector, thermography, and mammography, respectively. The corresponding detection specificities were 47%, 56%, and 76%. The combination of both thermography and mammography yielded a 89% detection sensitivity. The manual surface temperature detector was deemed not useful for screening because of its excessively high false-positive and false-negative rates.