Pathologic analysis on hyperplasia of mammary gland with different syndromes based on infrared radiation temperature of acupoints.

Objective: To explore the pathologic characteristics of hyperplasia of the mammary gland (HMG) by observing differences in infrared radiation temperature of points of HMG in patients with different syndromes compared with healthy controls.

Methods: A FLIR Systems Therma CAM P30 infrared thermal camera was used to detect the infrared temperature of Shanzhong (CV 17), Qimen (LR 14), Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Taixi (KI 3), and Taichong (LR 3) in 113 patients with HMG. Of these patients, 71 were placed in the Liver Qi stagnation group, 34 were placed in the Dysfunction of conception and thoroughfare vessels group, and 8 were placed in the Phlegm and blood stasis in combination group. The infrared radiation temperature of each point in the patients was compared with that of healthy controls, and the differences in the infrared radiation temperatures of the points in the patients were analyzed.

Results: Overall, the bilateral corresponding point in both the controls and patients exhibited no significant difference in infrared radiation temperature. In all cases, the infrared radiation temperature of the points from proximal to distal tended to decrease. In a comparison of the patients and controls, the infrared radiation temperature of the trunk points Shanzhong (CV 17), Qimen (LR 14), Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), and Guanyuan (CV 4) of the patients was higher than that of the controls, while the infrared radiation temperature of the lower extremity points Taixi (KI 3) and Taichong (LR 3) was lower than that of the controls. Of these points, Shanzhong (CV 17) (P=0.0368), Zhongwan (CV 12) (P=0.0028), Qihai (CV 6) (P=0.0085), and Guanyuan (CV 4) (P=0.0018) showed significant differences. In a comparison of the corresponding point on the same side in the Liver Qi stagnation group and controls, the infrared radiation temperature of Shanzhong (CV 17) (P=0.0089), right-side Qi-men (LR 14) (P=0.0382), Zhongwan (CV 12) (P= 0.0000), Qihai (CV 6) (P=0.0011), and Guanyuan (CV 4) (P=0.0000) of the patients was significantly higher than that of the controls, while the differences in the infrared radiation temperature of the other points were not statistically significant (P= 0.0833-0.8397). In a comparison of the corresponding point on the same side in the Dysfunction of conception and thoroughfare vessels group and controls, the infrared radiation temperature of left-side Taichong (LR 3) (P=0.0048), right-side Taichong (LR 3) (P=0.0329), left-side Taixi (KI 3) (P= 0.0171), and right-side Taixi (KI 3) (t=0.544, P= 0.0165) of the patients was significantly lower than that of the controls, while the differences in the infrared radiation temperature of the other points were not statistically significant (P=0.3793-0.9197). In a comparison of the corresponding point on the same side in the Phlegm and blood stasis in combination group and controls, the infrared radiation temperature of Shanzhong (CV 17), Qimen (LR 14), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Taixi (KI 3), Taichong (LR 3), and Zhongwan (CV 12) tended to increase, but without statistical significance (P=0.175-.759).

Conclusion: The corresponding points of HMG patients with different syndromes are in different deficiency/excess states. Changes in the infrared radiation temperature of the trunk points Shanzhong (CV 17), Qimen (LR 14), Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), and Guanyuan (CV 4) are closely related to the pathological characteristics of the Liver Qi stagnation syndrome of HMG patients, while changes in the infrared radiation temperature of the lower extremity points Taixi (KI 3) and Taichong (LR 3) are closely related to the pathological characteristics of the Dysfunction of conception and thoroughfare vessels syndrome of HMG patients. On the whole, HMG patients with Liver Qi stagnation syndrome are characterized by "upper excess," and those with Dysfunction of conception and thoroughfare vessels syndrome are characterized by "lower deficiency."