Routine mammography is widely accepted as a necessary tool for breast cancer detection. But recent studies are finding this screening method may not be as safe, effective, or even accurate as it was once believed to be.
There are obvious drawbacks of routine tissue compression and radiation exposure. And newer 3-D mammography scans use even higher levels of radiation.
The good news is…There is a safer, non-invasive, and radiation-free alternative: thermography.
What is Thermography?
Thermography uses a highly-specialized infrared camera to measure the amount of thermal energy emitted by an area of the body. The results are digitally analyzed to create a map of these heat patterns. From this digital map, our Board Certified Thermographer, Dr. Rossan, is able to identify and explain any areas of concern.
Benefits of Thermography
- Non-invasive and painless, no compression of the breast tissue
- Infrared technology (NO radiation)
- Safe – even during pregnancy
- Early detection of abnormal areas – in some cases up to 10 years sooner than other screening methods
How Does Thermography Screen for Breast Cancer?
The goal of thermography is to identify problem areas before structural changes even occur. This differs from mammogram technology, which can only pick up lesions that are already large enough to be visualized.
When abnormal cells begin to multiply, the area draws extra blood flow. This localized increase in circulatory activity causes more heat to be emitted from the site. Thermography works by measuring the increased heat, or thermal energy, being produced by the area.
A word from Dr. Wanda Rossan, DN (our Board Certified Thermographer)
“It must be added that even though breast thermography has been approved by FDA as an adjunct to mammogram scan, it is not yet regulated by it. Thus, there are no formal standards regulating the procedure.
But it does not involve any contact with the breast nor radiation: from a distance of 3-4 feet it just measures temperature emitted by the body, giving the provider the image of the vascular patterns and temperature distribution, therefore the state of physiology of it.
And those physiological changes can precede the anatomical ones (that the mammogram can spot) by many years. So when needed, we can address life style elements and restore our health. That’s why breast thermography is the preventative approach.”
Next Steps…
Call us or use the calendar below to schedule your free consultation and see how you can implement dietary and lifestyle modifications along with thermography to lower your breast cancer risk.
And don’t forget to use any of the social icons to share this vital information with the women in your life!
