The non-invasive diagnostic modality for the detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma by an infrared sensor (feasibility study) (Conference Presentation)

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent cancer in the oral and maxillofacial region, with a 75% 5-year survival rate dependent on early detection. This study aimed to non-invasively detect OSCC by measuring the thermal difference between carcinogenic tissue and healthy mucosa using an infrared sensor and assess the accuracy of this diagnostic approach. A novel intraoral infrared device was designed to measure intraoral tissue temperature in 20 participants (10 OSCC patients and 10 healthy individuals). Results indicated a significant temperature difference between tumoral and healthy tissues (P<0.001). The device demonstrated high accuracy, with a temperature differential greater than 0.97°C indicating potential OSCC presence (sensitivity=1, specificity=1). Temperatures exceeding 38.42°C suggested malignant lesions (sensitivity=1, specificity=0.9). This feasibility study highlights thermography's potential as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for early OSCC detection. Further research with larger samples is needed to validate these findings and the device's performance.