A tourist has told of her "life-changing" visit to the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh after one of its thermal cameras detected she had breast cancer.
Bal Gill, 41, from Slough in Berkshire, was at the Camera Obscura and World of Illusions at the top of the Royal Mile with her family in May.
When she went into the museum's thermal imaging camera room she noticed her left breast was a different colour.
When she returned home she saw a doctor who confirmed she had breast cancer.
She discovered that thermal imaging cameras can be used as a tool by oncologists.
Early stage breast cancer
Thermography, also called thermal imaging, uses a special camera to measure the temperature of the skin on the breast's surface.
It is a non-invasive test that does not involve any harmful radiation.
Cancer cells grow and multiply very fast. Blood flow and metabolism are higher in a cancer tumour as blood flow and metabolism increase, which makes skin temperature rise.
Ms Gill, a deputy-director of finance for a university, said: "We had been to Edinburgh Castle and on the way down we saw the museum.
"While making our way through the floors we got to the thermal imaging camera room. As all families do, we entered and started to wave our arms and look at the images created.
"While doing this I noticed a heat patch coming from my left breast. We thought it was odd and having looked at everyone else they didn't have the same. I took a picture and we carried on and enjoyed the rest of the museum."
'Life-changing visit'
A few days later when the mother-of-two returned home she was flicking through her photographs and saw the image.
On Google she found a number of articles about breast cancer and thermal imaging cameras. She was later diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.
She has since had two surgeries, including a mastectomy, and has a final surgery in November. She has been told she will not need chemotherapy or radiotherapy afterwards.
"I just wanted to say thank you, without that camera I would never have known," she said. "I know it's not the intention of the camera but for me it really was a life-changing visit.
"I cannot tell you enough about how my visit to the Camera Obscura changed my life."
The Thermal Camera, which was installed in 2009, is a popular part of the top Edinburgh attraction, and lets visitors see a visual of all their body hot spots.
'Really moved'
Andrew Johnson, general manager of Camera Obscura and World of Illusions said: "We did noRead More – Source
