**2. Introduction to thermography**

Infrared thermography is the recording of temperature distribution of a body using the infra‐ red radiation emitted by the surface of that body at wavelengths between 7 and 14 μm. With this information, it is possible to create a visual map or thermogram of the distribution of temperatures on the surface of the object imaged. The sensitivity of modern infrared cameras is such that temperature differences to 0.025°C can be detected.

Thermography can be used for breast cancer screening based on the fact that the tempera‐ ture of the tumor is about 2°C higher than the neighboring tissues and blood vessel activ‐ ity surrounding a developing cancer is almost always higher than in normal breast tissue. Since breast tissue is part of the skin, vascular alterations due to cancer result in tempera‐ ture changes on the surface of the breast which can be captured with infrared thermography. Thermal abnormalities identified with thermal imaging are among the earliest signs of a pre‐ cancerous or cancerous lesion of the breast.

Thermal imaging is a noncontact, noninvasive and extremely privacy aware. Since thermal cameras are small, they are very portable and can be used for screening in rural camps.

There are many certified thermographers and thermologists who continue to practice using thermal analysis for breast cancer diagnosis [4].
