Painless Breast Scan

Did you know that there is a procedure, which can measure heat differences in tissues and may be helpful in screening for breast cancer? More women are choosing to have a thermographic scan, as more facilities are available, because it is thought to be able to show the possible beginnings of breast cancer sooner than other tests. Although, the indications, in many cases, do not turn out to be cancer, many of them do. Because of this fact, there may be cases of false-positive exams, which will be necessary to follow with more conventional means of testing.

Digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI, also known as thermography) is a 15-minute painless test, which can alert you and your doctor to changes that can indicate early stage breast disease. Subtle physiologic changes can cause heat differences in the tissues, which can be measured and mapped using thermography. Those changes may indicate early breast pathology, such as cancer, fibrocystic disease, an infection or vascular disease. Your doctor can then discuss a plan to monitor and/or further diagnose the findings.

The scan is radiation free and painless because it does not come into contact with the body, and it is even comfortable for women with breast implants. A subsequent session is required in three months to ensure that the thermal patterns remain unchanged. This technology is one of the only medical procedures that can detect the signs of inflammatory breast disease.

In younger women whose denser breast tissue makes it more difficult for mammography to be effective, thermography may be especially helpful. It can provide a clinical marker to the doctor or mammographer that a specific area of the breast needs particularly close examination.

It takes years for a tumor to grow, so the earliest possible indication of abnormality is needed to allow for the earliest possible treatment and intervention. The role of thermography in monitoring breast health is to help in early detection and monitoring of abnormal physiology. You can take the report to your local healthcare professional who can further assess your condition. In addition to having a scan of your breast, you can have one of your whole body.

Thermography can be used for so much more than just breast disease, such as heart disease, stroke screening, thyroid dysfunction, digestive disorders, spinal injuries and many more disorders for both men and women. The thermal images, while not conclusive, can provide valuable information in diagnosing possible abnormalities.

One day there may be a single method for the early detection of breast cancer. Until then, the use a combination of methods to increase your chances of detecting cancer in its earliest stages may be the best approach. When thermography is used with other procedures, the best possible evaluation of breast health can be achieved.