An IoMT-Based Wearable Thermography System for Early Breast Cancer Detection

The current breast imaging methods for early breast cancer detection are limited by their exorbitant cost, uncomfortable diagnostic procedures for the patient, and low specificity and sensitivity for both detecting and analyzing the nature of tumors in dense breast tissues. Therefore, it is necessary to implement another complementary and efficient modality to overcome these limitations. The HealthCare Bra System (HCBS) is a portable, noninvasive, and passive biomedical device based on the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). It is presented in the form of a Bra capable of accurately measuring temperature gradients on the surface of the breast. This system is developed as a complement to current methods to assist doctors in screening for early signs of breast cancer. The HCBS thermography system collects metabolic data in real time from the skin surface of the breast over a period, using four distinct sections of the flexible card. Each section is equipped with 32 bio microsensors, covering the four quadrants of the breast. A data collector unit (DCU) ensures communication between the HCBS system and the web server, guaranteeing the transmission and storage of data. An advanced monitoring application makes these data easily accessible for both local and remote users (patients/doctors) via a web server. Temperature data acquisition is analyzed using algorithms to detect possible tumors in the breast. The objective of this article is to focus on the scientific study of the HCBS system, on its design, and its implementation in IoMT technology. The results of simulations demonstrate that the optimization of the number of MAX30205 bio microsensors, set at 128 elements, is adequate for the detection of possible small-size tumors located at different depths of the breast, allowing for complete coverage of the breast. This number also ensures good spatial resolution of the thermal image, unlike our previous prototype. A study of flexible card covers for the HCBS system, aimed at ensuring patient comfort, shows a good rate of information loss, 0.135% for electrical insulation between the card and the skin surface of the breast phantom, and 0.23% for thermal insulation from the external environment. The successful creation and implementation of a web application called HCBS, used by both patients and treating doctors, making breast cancer screening accessible to all women. Our proof-of-concept design demonstrates an IoMT-based health monitoring system that offers an improved architecture, enhanced detection capability, habitronic features, optimized performance, interoperability, and improved security and reliability. Research is currently underway and planned to complete and authenticate this technology, by evaluating its potential as a complementary medical device for monitoring breast health. This will be done through clinical trials conducted on specifically selected and previously diagnosed populations in an oncology center.