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ThermoBreast’s imaging technology included a risk-free, non-contact and cost-efficient screening, applicable to women of any age and breast density, aiming to detect the disease at its earliest stages. Its unique approach presented an opportunity to unlock the potential of dynamic thermography significantly improving breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, and monitoring. An important component of the screening, which made the system truly innovative, was advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI). The captured thermal streams underwent an algorithmic pipeline and AI analysis designed to interpret dynamic thermal patterns and detect potential cancerous activity. This way, the system offered an excellent means of identifying areas of interest within thermograms and marking those for physicians to inspect. This predictive power of AI-based thermal imaging could enable cancer detection even before a tumour has formed. Due to its harmless, comfortable screening and instant analysis, it would have been possible to implement better patient monitoring programs.
ThermoBreast was to perform an international clinical study that aimed to revolutionise the detection and monitoring of breast cancer by the use of dynamic thermal imaging and advanced AI analysis. Its primary objective was to compare the diagnostic performance of advanced AI models with routine breast cancer screening. This innovative study was planned to be conducted at multiple centres worldwide, and was designed as a prospective, blinded, and three-cohort diagnostic trial. This meant that women would be recruited into three cohorts: Screening, High-Risk Screening, and Diagnostics. There would be no randomisation within this study, and the results of thermal screening would not be disclosed to participants or physicians to avoid any undue anxiety or influence on the physicians’ decision-making. The ThermoBreast system would only record thermal images and would not influence routine clinical practice for breast cancer diagnosis. This study was believed to provide valuable insights and advancements in the field of breast cancer diagnosis, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients in terms of breast cancer early detection.
The EU-funded ThermoBreast project brought together multidisciplinary top experts around the world – researchers. oncologists, radiologists, software developers, patient advocacy association and health economists. The project planned to validate the clinical benefits of thermal imaging technology in an international multicentre clinical study. A collaborative work plan with nine so-called work packages was defined.
accelopment is a Swiss SME that assists research institutions and companies in EU project management and the dissemination and exploitation of project results. In ThermoBreast it led the work package on dissemination, exploitation, and public engagement and co-led the work package on management. This included the development of materials and content, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of dissemination and communication activities. Furthermore, accelopment supported the project coordinator in operational management in all aspects related to governance, administration, reporting, finances, contracts, and innovation management. accelopment’s active involvement during the proposal writing process also played a significant role in the project’s success, as evidenced by the highest possible score (15 out of 15) achieved.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them (grant agreement no. 101096329).
Swiss participants in this project were supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (contract no. 22.00518).