Thermography
 What
is Thermography? Thermography is a non-contact technique for early detection
of breast cancer without the hazard of carcinogenic radiation. (1) The
infrared camera takes thermal images (pictures) that can detect subtle
changes in breast physiology up to 10 years before a cancerous tumor can
be detected by other sources such as mammography or skilled palpation.
This is the most reliable form of early detection though not often used
by the medical field, it is becoming more readily available. Thermography
has a 9% for both false positive and false negative readings. (2) Thermography
is painless and offers a view of the entire chest and underarm area.
The infrared
images show subtle temperature changes in the breast tissue. Blood supply
or vascularity shows up hyperthermic (hot) and looks white in color. Hypothermic
(cold) shows up dark in color. Normal breast tissue shows up in varying
shades in-between.
 THERMAL
IMAGE SHOWS BENIGN BREAST THERMOLOGY RATED TH2
This image
shows symmetric (same in both breasts) hyperthermic features looking like
lightening bolts, indicating normal vascularity. Also symmetric hypothermic
features seen in the caudal (lower) portion of both breasts shows up dark
indicating benign fiber-adenoma cysts.
THERMAL IMAGE SHOWS BREAST MALIGNANCY RATED TH5
This image
shows complex hyperthermic feature in the left breast (right side of picture).
This complex vascularity indicates neo-angeogenesis or a new blood supply
that sets up to feed the tumor. These neo-angeogenic blood vessels do
not respond to the autonomic challenge (ice water on hands).
Thermography
rates the breast on a scale from TH1 to TH5.
TH1 is no abnormal features.
TH2 indicates benign symmetric patterns either hypothermic or hyperthermic.
TH3 is the first sign of an asymmetric (one sided) hyperthermic pattern
and because breast cancer usually is seen asymmetric it is accompanied
with a risk factor. The risk factor for malignancy in a TH3 can be anywhere
from <10% to 35% depending on how complex the pattern is and how much
it responds to the autonomic challenge.
TH4 indicates a more complex hyperthermic feature that is not responding
to the autonomic challenge. The risk factor for a TH4 is between 65% to
85% depending on the complexity of the vascularity and its response to
the autonomic challenge.
TH5 is the highest risk at up to 98% of confirming malignancy.
It is important
to note here that none of the screening tools can tell 100% that a tumor
is malignant, only looking at tissue under a microscope can do that.
Is it accurate?
Research at the Pasteur Institute in France, has shown thermography to
have a 9% both false negative and false positive rate. (2) It can clearly
distinguish between cancer (which is hot) and fiberadenoma cyst (which
are cold), therefore eliminating 80% of the false positives from unnecessary
biopsies ordered by mammography. For younger women and women with denser
breast tissue, thermography is much more reliable than mammography. More
recent research at St. Mary Hospital in Canada shows that only when a
mammogram was accompanied with skilled palpation did it equal the accuracy
of thermography.(3)
THERMAL IMAGE
SHOWING YELLOW BANDING:
This image
would be rated TH2. The semetric (in both breasts) hyperthermic features
indicates a metabolic imbalance. This type of vascularity is seen in pregmant
women and considered normal but when found in a menopausal woman it indicates
an abundance of estrogen or an imbalance in the estrogen to progesterone
ratio. This is also known as estrogen dominance and could lead to unhealthy
breasts, if not addressed. Further testing of homones would be suggested
with natural supplementation as needed as a preventative measure.
Other uses
for Thermography:
Thermography can be used to detect dental infections, thyroid dysfunction,
and cerebral infarction (stroke). Thermal imaging is a non-invasive view
of the internal carotid arteries, which reveals varying stages of atherosclerosis,
thus enabling early detection and possible prevention.
COMMONLY
ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THERMOGRAPHY
Why
doesn't the AMA promote the use of thermography?
There are thousands of radiologists and only a few experts in the field
of thermography. A lot of money had been invested in the use of mammography.
This could explain why information has been withheld regarding mammography's
poor rate of accuracy and the harmful effects of radiation exposure. In
addition, the Health Insurance Board has accepted thermography with its
own CPT billing code 93762, yet many Health Insurance Companies reluctantly
reimburse for this choice in screening. These tactics have, until recently,
kept many of us from looking at thermography as a safe and effective alternative.
What is the procedure like? The patient must first cool off from the waist
up in a room approximately 68 degrees for up to 15 minutes so the warmer
veins stand out from surrounding tissue. The Technician takes a series
of 3 images, left, right, and frontal view, with an infrared camera (heat
detecting). A second set of images is taken for comparison after the person
holds her hands in ice water for one minute (autonomic challenge). Cancer
is highly vascularized (having a significant blood supply) and because
these neo-angeogenesis blood vessels are filled with nitrous oxide (a
vassal dilator), they can't constrict with the autonomic challenge, so
it is easily distinguished in comparison to normal tissue, which contracts
considerably with the autonomic challenge. Thermography is safe, comfortable
and a far more accurate of a screening tool.
Can
Thermography be used on augmented breasts or with a mastectomy?
Yes. Since there is no pressure applied, there is no harm to the implants.
Thermal imaging is a painless, non-invasive way to evaluate the lymphatic
system, especially for those with a mastectomy.
How
can you tell if a thermographer is qualified?
They should
be board certified and follow the standards of practice established by
the American Academy of Thermology or a comparable organization.
1. Patient
should be unclothed on the torsal for 5 to10 minutes in a cool room of
about 68 degrees.
2. Patient
has at least three pictures (left right and frontal view) taken before
and again after ...
3.The patients
hands are placed in ice water for one minute.
4. Patient
is provided a report where there is a description of the features in the
images as well as how they responded to the autonomic challenge.
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