Thermography

 
 

What is Thermography?

Thermography, or Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) is performed by Certified Clinical Thermographers and interpreted by Certified Medical Doctors specialized in Thermography. 

Thermography is safe, non-invasive, convenient and affordable. 

Our thermograms create a visual representation of any inflammation caused by injury, hormonal imbalance, beginning stages of disease, musculoskeletal, vascular and/or neural conditions. They can be used as an aid for diagnosis and prognosis as well as monitoring therapy progress for conditions and injuries.

Why choose Thermography?

  • Riskless procedure

  • As simple as taking a picture

  • No contraindications

  • No radiation

  • No pain

  • No contact

  • Quick interpretation and results sent directly to you and your provider

  • Appropriate for imaging most of the body

We provide Thermography imaging for the entire body. If you are unsure of what is the best option for you, please call our office for more information. Imaging options include:

Full body, Half Body, Pain Studies, Women's Health Study and Region of Interest (eg: chest or breast). 

Thermography is a key to early detection of breast cancer.  Early detection saves lives.  The benefit of Thermography testing is that it can detect troublesome physiological changes before there is detectable cancer.

Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI)

DITI can provide objective evidence for otherwise unimageable conditions, such as persistent pain patterns following a motor vehicle accident.

DITI also assesses structures which fall outside mammography range and which are difficult to find with ultrasonography.

This patient had a suspicious finding outside of the borders of the breast on her chest wall. Her follow-up mammogram was unremarkable, but targeted ultrasound directed by the DITI and biopsy revealed a malignancy.

Breast Thermography

Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) plays a key role in the early detection of breast cancer and other breast disorders by establishing a baseline of normal breast physiology and monitoring physiological changes associated with breast cancer and other pathology.  Frequently, DITI can ascertain these changes years before tumor formation or other progression of disease, thereby allowing early intervention. Early detection saves lives! DITI is painless, totally non-invasive, and emits no radiation.  All women can benefit from DITI, even those who are younger and have dense breast tissues, which can decrease the sensitivity of mammography to as low as 31%. (Citation_1)

Breasts are unique with respect to DITI as each breast has its own unique thermal signature.  Normally body structures are compared one side to the other, but breasts are compared to themselves over time.  Once a baseline is established with an initial breast scan, all future scans are compared to this original.  This allows the earliest physiological changes to be detected before any tumor or other pathological change can be identified.

Many women want to know whether mammography or DITI is better.  Neither test is better, they are different.  Mammograms can tell a woman whether she has cancer or not.  DITI detects potentially problematic physiological changes before they manifest into pathology, thereby allowing lifestyle changes or other therapeutic interventions to be employed to reverse the abnormal thermal patterns.  In about 70% of cancer, thermal changes are the first sign of developing pathology.

(Citation1:  Berg, W.A., Zhang, Z., Lehrer, D., etal., Detection of breast cancer with annual screening ultrasound or a singlescreening MRI to mammography in women with elevated breast cancer risk. JAMA2012; 307: 1394-404.)

Full and Half-body Thermography

Half-body thermography imaging includes over 25 images including head, breasts, back, and abdomen. Full-body thermography imaging includes over 30 images including head, breasts, back, abdomen, and legs. It is appropriate for those seeking guidance for a variety of medical conditions. Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) can be used as an aid for diagnosis, determining prognosis, monitoring and documenting a large number of conditions including but not limited to:

  • Back injuries

  • Arthritis

  • Headache

  • Nerve damage

  • Nerve dysfunction

  • Unexplained pain

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (Complex regional pain syndrome)

  • Dental issues

  • Temporal mandibular joint disorder

  • Arterial inflammation

  • Vascular disease

  • Breast disease

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Disc disease

  • Inflammatory pain

  • Skin cancer

  • Referred pain syndrome

  • Sprain/Strain

  • Whiplash

  • Stress fracture

  • Digestive disorders

  • Autoimmune disorders

DITI is not an anatomical test; it is a physiological test.  Therefore, it can provide evidence of diseases or pathological conditions which cannot be otherwise imaged.

Frequently, conditions are very difficult to differentiate.  Are they neurological, vascular, musculoskeletal, endocrine, or of other origin?  DITI can frequently provide the answer to this question and provide a baseline to monitor progress of the condition as treatment progresses.  Additionally, the starting point or location of treatment can be determined by your health care provider after consulting the DITI images and report.

Region of Interest (ROI) Thermography

If there a specific region you are interested in scanning, please call the office for more information. Common region of interest includes chest/breast, thyroid or abdomen-only.

Your Appointment

Initial appointments last about 60-75 minutes. Total imaging time for breasts is about 10-20 minutes. Total imaging time for full-body scans lasts about 60 minutes. Length of appointment is dependent on region of interest. Please note you will need a period of about 15 min to acclimate “cool down” to the room prior to imaging. During this time your thermographer can complete your intake questionnaire. Prior to your thermography, you will have already completed a questionnaire, you can bring this in on the day of imaging where your thermographer will review your medical history. You will be asked to change into a gown. For breast scans, you will be required to remove your gown from the waist up during the imaging portion only. For a full-body scan, you will be required to remove your gown and only wear bottom underwear during the imagining portion. You change in and out of your gown in privacy.  

Most scanning imaging is done in a seated position. There is standing and turning for half-body and full-body images. If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your technician to discuss any accommodations. You WILL NOT be confined in tight spaces or be required to lay on a table with a technician pressing or moving a scanning device on your body. After your appointment, the technician will send the complete medical report and images to EMI (Electronic Medical Interpretation) system for analysis and interpretation. We will provide you with a copy of your report and provide copies to providers of your choosing. This will allow you to review your findings with a physician of your choosing. For further clarification of your report you can request a complementary 15 min consultation with Dr. Cruz, she is our expert thermography specialist.

FOR BREAST-THERMOGRAPHY ONLY

After your initial breast thermogram, a 3-month follow up is needed to establish a thermal baseline.  This is necessary to establish your normal thermographic pattern and allows all future comparisons to be made to this baseline. To proactively monitor your breast health, unless you have any identified thermal risk markers, a yearly breast thermogram is what is recommended. Like your fingerprint, your thermal pattern is unique, and if healthy, should remain extremely stable.  Your thermograms are archived with EMI, so your medical thermologist can refer to them to compare current findings and symptoms with past temperatures and patterns.

You are not eligible to have breast thermography performed if breastfeeding. Please wait until 3 months after the completion of any breastfeeding to start imaging.

Exam Preparation

In preparation for your thermography session, we ask you to review the following pre-exam instructions and follow the ones that apply to the scan you will be having.  

A Pre-Thermography Scan Instruction will be handed to you when you make your appointment.

Following instructions ensures the results of your scan will be accurate:

  • No prolonged sun exposure to breasts 5 days prior to your appointment.

  • No deodorant, antiperspirant, lotion, cream or make up on the day of the exam.

  • No shaving or waxing on the day of the exam.

  • If bathing, do so one hour or more prior to exam.

  • No exercise 4 hours prior to your exam.

  • No treatment (chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound, hot or cold pack use) of the neck, back, chest or breasts 24 hours before the exam.

  • Please wear loose fitting clothes to your appointment.

  • Please inform us when scheduling your appointment of any medical procedures you have had within the last 12 weeks that might affect the results of your thermogram.​


Please note: Surgical procedures, such as implants, reductions, and biopsies, do not interfere with infrared imaging. If you have copies of any other test results (e.g., mammograms, ultrasounds, or biopsies), please bring them with you. 

 
 

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