[The value of infrared and plate thermography in the early diagnosis of mastocarcinoma (author's transl)].

The inspection and palpation of the breast remains the basis of every breast examination. However, genuine early diagnosis of carcinoma of the breast cannot be achieved by clinical examinations without any supporting investigation. It must be borne in mind that such early diagnosis is the aim of every medical checkup for cancer. This fact has resulted in the development of novel examination methods employing suitable apparatus. The value of mammography is beyond dispute. Since it is the safest of all examination methods as far as accurate results are concerned, mammography makes a decisive contribution toward improving the success rate of early diagnostics. The present paper aims at emphasizing the value of thermography in diagnostics, especially in the early diagnosis of mastocarcinoma. Such a valuation becomes possibly by checking all thermographic findings with the help of mammography. As a result, it must be stated that both infrared thermography and plate thermography can only be additional examination methods in support of mammography in order to discover clinically occult carcinomas within the framework of preventive care examinations.