Safe Cancer Detection With Thermography
How a Non-Invasive Technology can Help Detect Breast Cancer
Apr 5, 2009
In their last poll in 2005, the U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group found that close to 200,000 women and nearly 2000 men were diagnosed with breast cancer. There are many factors that can help in the prevention of breast cancer, including healthy eating habits, limiting alcohol intake and regular exercise.
However, there is another preventative method that is growing in popularity alongside yearly mammograms: Thermography.
What is Thermography?
Thermography, or digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI), is the use of ultra-sensitive medical cameras and sophisticated computers to detect and analyze higher than normal metabolic activity and vascular circulation in both pre-cancerous tissue and the area surrounding the cancer.
Thermography has been approved by the FDA since 1983 and is commonly used as a complementary screening to mammography.
How Does it Work?
Due to a constantly escalating need for nutrients, cancerous tumors increase circulation to their cells resulting in an increase of blood flow to the area. Because of the highly sensitive nature of DITI, these temperature variations can be some of the earliest signs of cancer.
DITI has become an increasingly common method of detecting breast cancer in particular. It was first approved by the FDA in the early 1980s and is now on the frontlines of breast cancer detection due to its ability to detect pre-cancerous tissue earlier than its counterparts.
“Studies show that an abnormal infrared image is the single most important marker of high risk for developing breast cancer, 10 times more significant than a family history of the disease” (Pacific Chiropractic and Research Center Infrared Imaging of Redwood City, California).
What Makes DITI So Unique?
Whereas mammography and other imaging methods require radiation, compression, contact, or intravenous injection, DITI is a very comfortable procedure that poses zero risk to the patient.
Certain types of cancers may not be detected (approximately 20%) by mammography for various reasons, but some of these cancers will be discovered by DITI.
Difficulties in reading mammograms can occur in women who are on hormone replacement, nursing or have fibrocystic, large, dense, or enhanced breasts. The good news is these types of breast differences do not cause difficulties in reading digital infrared scans.
What Can You Do?
Most insurance companies cover DITI now. Ask your insurance company and health care provider how you can take advantage of this technology and whether or not it is right for you.
While there is no guarantee you will remain cancer-free, eating right, exercising often, limiting alcohol intake and regular screenings are the key to either preventing breast cancer or detecting it early.
 |
