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Breast Thermal Imaging
What exactly is Breast Medical Infrared Scanning?
Breast medical infrared scanning uses state of the art technology which scans the body using a thermal imaging camera to produce an image or "thermal scan".
This is based on findings that breast tumours have abnormal blood vessel patterns that give off more heat than the surrounding tissue.
This blood vessel growth that accompanies tumour formation is termed neovascularization. Neovascularization is the earliest sign of a rapidly growing tumour and can be determined with infrared technology.
A thermal scan analyses the heat that is given off by the breast and allows for immediate display onto a computer monitor. The images obtained provide an indirect measurement of the metabolic activity of breast tissue. In other words, cancer is identified on a thermal scanas focal �hot spots� and abnormal blood vessel patterns.
This is based on findings that breast tumours have abnormal blood vessel patterns that give off more heat than the surrounding tissue.
This blood vessel growth that accompanies tumour formation is termed neovascularization. Neovascularization is the earliest sign of a rapidly growing tumour and can be determined with infrared technology.
A thermal scan analyses the heat that is given off by the breast and allows for immediate display onto a computer monitor. The images obtained provide an indirect measurement of the metabolic activity of breast tissue. In other words, cancer is identified on a thermal scanas focal �hot spots� and abnormal blood vessel patterns.
Not An Alternative To Mammography
Thermal Imaging is NOT an alternative to mammography. Anyone making this claim is seriously misinformed. While we all want to see the non-judicious use of any radiographic imaging eliminated, mammography is a valuable diagnostic tool in many cases.
Thermal Imaging does not medically, scientifically, or legally replace mammography. It has an entirely different place in the monitoring of a woman's breast health.
Dodd concluded that using Thermography as a screening device to determine if mammography were indicated would eliminate the need for mammography in 80-85% in the general female population over age 40. This may have been overzealous and created some scrutiny for the thermal imaging industry; however the notion of reducing radiation exposure in younger women by screening first with Thermal Imaging is to be encouraged. A not too dissimilar conclusion was arrived at by Isard. He concluded that, had there been a preliminary selection of his group of 4,393 asymptomatic patients by infrared imaging, mammographic examination would have been restricted to 23% of this cohort. This would have resulted in a cancer detection rate of 24.1 per 1000 combined infrared and mammographic examinations as contrasted to the expected 7 per 1000 by mammographic screening alone. He concluded that since infrared imaging is an innocuous examination, it could be utilized to focus attention upon asymptomatic women who should be examined more intensely. It has been estimated that the incidence of breast cancer detection per 1,000-screened patients would increase from 2.72% using mammography to 19% utilizing Thermography. The same author repeated the concept that Thermal Imaging uses no radiation, no physical contact and that as an innocuous technique and could concentrate on the sought population selecting patients that would require further study.
There is a distinct advantage of infrared thermal imaging in younger pre-menopausal women who are often difficult to diagnose accurately because of the density of the breast tissue. Adding thermographic screening in a physiologic detection category to the current base of knowledge will assist in catching some cancers and other breast diseases much earlier, providing for earlier intervention and hopefully a better clinical outcome.
Thermal Imaging does not medically, scientifically, or legally replace mammography. It has an entirely different place in the monitoring of a woman's breast health.
Dodd concluded that using Thermography as a screening device to determine if mammography were indicated would eliminate the need for mammography in 80-85% in the general female population over age 40. This may have been overzealous and created some scrutiny for the thermal imaging industry; however the notion of reducing radiation exposure in younger women by screening first with Thermal Imaging is to be encouraged. A not too dissimilar conclusion was arrived at by Isard. He concluded that, had there been a preliminary selection of his group of 4,393 asymptomatic patients by infrared imaging, mammographic examination would have been restricted to 23% of this cohort. This would have resulted in a cancer detection rate of 24.1 per 1000 combined infrared and mammographic examinations as contrasted to the expected 7 per 1000 by mammographic screening alone. He concluded that since infrared imaging is an innocuous examination, it could be utilized to focus attention upon asymptomatic women who should be examined more intensely. It has been estimated that the incidence of breast cancer detection per 1,000-screened patients would increase from 2.72% using mammography to 19% utilizing Thermography. The same author repeated the concept that Thermal Imaging uses no radiation, no physical contact and that as an innocuous technique and could concentrate on the sought population selecting patients that would require further study.
There is a distinct advantage of infrared thermal imaging in younger pre-menopausal women who are often difficult to diagnose accurately because of the density of the breast tissue. Adding thermographic screening in a physiologic detection category to the current base of knowledge will assist in catching some cancers and other breast diseases much earlier, providing for earlier intervention and hopefully a better clinical outcome.
Some Breast Medical Infrared Scanning Facts
- In 1982, the FDA in the U.S. approved breast medical infrared scanning (infrared imaging) as an adjunctive diagnostic breast cancer screening procedure. Modern medical infrared imaging has since evolved enormously as a result of enhanced optical and digital technology and advances in interpretive protocols.
- Breast medical infrared scanning has undergone extensive research since the late 1950�s with more than 1000 peer-reviewed studies on breast medical infrared scanning in the medical literature.
- Breast medical infrared scanning has the ability to detect the first signs that a cancer may be forming, up to 10 years before any other procedure can detect it. Caught this early, these abnormal changes can often be reversed through simple non-invasive therapies.
- An abnormal infrared image is the single most important marker of high risk for developing breast cancer.
- Medical infrared scanning is 86% to 96% accurate for indicating cancer in pre-menopausal women.
- Extensive clinical trials have shown that breast medical infrared scanning significantly augments the long-term survival rates of its recipients by as much as 61%.
- Medical infrared scanning involves no radiation or pain and is totally non-invasive, requiring no contact with the body.
- Medical infrared scanning is effective and safe for women of all ages and breasts of all sizes as well as women with breast implants, fibrocystic breasts, young women with dense breast tissue, and pregnant or nursing women.
- Medical infrared scanning is also indicated for post breast surgery screening because it is safe and can be done frequently.
Breast Thermal Imaging - Extra Chapters