Research Article

Evaluation of the Diagnostic Power of Thermography in Breast Cancer Using Bayesian Network Classifiers

Table 1

Names, definitions, and values of variables. In the experiments the positive value is discretized to 1 and the negative value is discretized to 0. All the values of qualitative variables are given by the image analyst.

Variable name Definition Variable value Variable type

Asymmetry Temperature difference (in Celsius) between the right and the left breasts If difference < 1°C, then value = 5, difference between 1°C and 2°C, the value is 10, and difference > 2°C, the value is 15 Nominal (5, 10, 15)

Thermovascular network Number of veins with the highest temperature If the visualization is abundant vascularity, the value is 15, if it is moderate, the value is 10, and if it is slight, the value is 5 Nominal (5, 10, 15)

Curve pattern Heat area under the breast If heat visualized is abundant, the value is 15, if it is moderate, the value is 10, and if it is slight, the value is 5 Nominal (5, 10, 15)

Hyperthermia Hottest point of the breast If there is at least one hottest point, the value is 20 and otherwise the value is 0 Binary (0, 20)

2c Temperature difference between the hottest points of the two breasts If difference between 1 and 10, the value is 10, difference between 11 and 15, the value is 15, difference between 16 and 20, the value is 20 and if difference > 20, the value is 25 Nominal (10, 15, 20, 25)

F unique Amount of hottest points If sum = 1, the value is 40, if sum = 2, the value is 20, if sum = 3, the value is 10, and if sum > 3, the value is 5 Nominal (5, 10, 20, 40)

1c Hottest point in only one breast If the hottest point is only one breast, the value is 40 and if the hottest point is both breasts, the value is 20 Binary (20, 40)

Furrow Furrows under the breasts If the furrow is visualized, the value is positive; if not,the value is negative Binary (0, 1)

Pinpoint Veins going to the hottest points of the breasts If the veins are visualized, the value is positive; if not, the value is negative Binary (0, 1)

Hot center The center of the hottest area If the center of the hottest is visualized, the value is positive; if not, the value is negative Binary (0, 1)

Irregular form Geometry of the hot center If the hot center is visualized like a nongeometrical figure, the value is positive; if not, the value is negative Binary (0, 1)

Histogram Histogram in form of a isosceles triangle If the histogram is visualized as a triangle form, the value is positive; if not, the value is negative Binary (0, 1)

Armpit Difference temperature between the 2 armpits If the difference = 0, the value in both is negative; if not, the value is positive; consequently the other is negative Binary (0, 1)

Breast profile Visually altered profile If an altered profile is visualized abundantly, the value is 3, if it is moderate, value is 2, if it is small, the value is 1, and if it does not exist, the value is 0 Binary (0, 1)

Score The sum of values of the previous 14 variables If the sum < 160, then the value is negative for cancer; if the sum ≥ 160, the value is positive for cancer Binary (0, 1)

Age Age of patient If the age < 51, the value is 1, if the age between 51 and 71, the value is 2, and if age > 71, the value is 3 Binary (0, 1)

Outcome The result is obtained via open biopsy The values are cancer or no-cancer Binary (0, 1)