Metabolic imaging will detect signatures of the cancer's microenvironment (e.g angiogenesis). A breast with malignant tumor behaves differently from a healthy breast. In this regard, the breast tumor has specific signatures on the surface of the breast even if the tumor is deeply embedded inside. Metabolic imaging can overcome the limitations of current mammography screening for women with dense breasts. The infrared signal contains information on both anatomical structures and metabolic processes within the breast.