Introduction

Presently, diagnosis of external masses is done by either fine needle aspirate or biopsy. This is invasive and in cases with multiple masses, can be costly. The HT BioImaging System is a heat diffusion system designed to record the thermal diffusivity of tissues while they are being heated and cooled. It has been calibrated to detect possible differences between benign and malignant tissues, based on their thermal unique characteristics. The purpose of this prospective study was to validate this system in dogs with external masses.

Methods

Fifty dogs with cutaneous and subcutaneous masses were recruited. The mass (or masses) were photographed by an optical camera, measured and documented in the medical records. The HT BioImaging System procedure was then performed to evaluate the probability for malignancy in the masses. Standard diagnostics (cytology, biopsy or both) were performed in accordance with the clinical practice guidelines. The results from the clinical pathology or biopsy reports were compared to the results from the HT Bioimaging system.

Results

Analysis of 80 lesions examined from 44 dogs was performed. 6 dogs were excluded from the study. The results were Sensitivity 82.7%, Specificity 82.9%, Positive predictive value 0.77, Negative predictive value 0.87 and Accuracy 82.85%.

Conclusion

These initial, yet promising results, demonstrate the immense potential of the HT BioImaging System in differentiating between benign and malignant lesions.

Funding Information

HT BioImaging.