Dynamic Infrared Thermography (DIRT) in Biomedical Applications: DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction and Skin Cancer

Infrared thermography technology has improved drastically in recent years and is regaining interest in medicine for applications such as deep inferior epigastric perforate flap breast reconstruction, breast cancer diagnosis, skin tissue identification, psoriasis detection, etc. However, there is still a need for an optimised measurement setup and protocol in order to capture the most suitable images for decision making and further processing. Nowadays, different cooling methods are being used; nevertheless, a general optimised cooling protocol is not yet defined. In this manuscript, several cooling techniques, as well as the measurement setups, are reviewed and optimised. It is possible to enhance the thermal images by selecting an appropriate cooling method and duration, and additionally, an optimised measurement setup enables a comparison between different inspections.

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Women and Partners’ Information Need, Emotional Adjustment, and Breast Reconstruction Decision-Making Before Mastectomy

Plastic Surgery ◽

10.1177/2292550320928558 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 179-188

Author(s):

Kristopher Lamore ◽

Cécile Flahault ◽

Aurélie Untas

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Decision Making ◽

Breast Reconstruction ◽

Shared Decision Making ◽

Cancer Diagnosis ◽

Emotional Adjustment ◽

Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽

Shared Decision ◽

Information Need ◽

Need For Information

Objective: Our aim was to explore the differences between women and their partners on information need, emotional adjustment, and breast reconstruction (BR) decision-making after breast cancer diagnosis. A second aim was to explore these differences regarding surgery type (mastectomy vs immediate BR). Methods: Women newly diagnosed with a first nonmetastatic breast cancer and having a mastectomy were invited to fill out online questionnaires, in conjunction with their partners, before mastectomy. Questionnaires assessed their information need (Patient Information Need Questionnaire), emotional adjustment (Profile of Mood States), motivations to have BR or not, shared decision-making (Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire), and partner influence in BR decision-making. Results: Thirty (15 women and their partners) people took part in the study. Women and partners had similar levels of information need, emotional adjustment, and shared decision-making. However, partners did not entirely perceive why BR is wished or not by the women. Furthermore, partners of women having a mastectomy alone had higher scores of mood disturbance and a greater need for information, compared to partners of women having an immediate BR ( P < .05). Likewise, men expressed a greater need for disease-oriented information than their loved ones ( P < .05). Conclusions: This is the first study to highlight differences in couples’ experiences of breast cancer diagnosis and BR decision-making before mastectomy. Partners express an important need for information and do not entirely perceive why BR is wished or not by their loved ones. An online tool providing information to both women and partners could help them in breast cancer care pathway and BR decision-making.

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