[Thermography in the diagnosis of recurrences of rectal cancer].

Thermography results of 126 patients were analysed for the diagnosis of recurrences of rectal cancer. Sixteen patients were examined after radical operations for rectal cancer without signs of recurrence to study the features of a thermal regimen in this area. The examination included thermoscopy, thermography and distant thermometry. The presence of the zone of hyperthermia in the perineum with the involvement of the sacral region and the coccygeal bone after extirpation of the rectum was shown to indicate cancer recurrence. The coincidence of thermography findings with those of computerized and ultrasound tomography was observed in 81.7% of the cases. As a result of a perineal fistula, chronic prostatitis, etc., false positive results of thermography were marked in 17 (18.3%) patients. False negative results were not observed. A rise of local temperature from +0.5 to 1 degrees C was considered suspicious of cancer recurrence. These patients were actively followed up and it allowed one to confirm cancer recurrence in them after 3-6 mos. The use of thermography as a screening test made it possible to detect cancer recurrence and to define a high risk group in need of an active follow up and more thorough clinical examination.