History of Thermography
Detecting pathology with thermal diagnostics is not new.
The writings of Hippocrates around 480 B.C. noted that mud, when spread over a patient, would dry at different rates, indicating underlying organ pathology.
The first use of thermography came in 1957 when R. Lawson discovered that the skin temperature over a cancer of the breast was higher than that of normal tissue.
In 1982, The American FDA approved the procedure as an adjunctive tool in breast cancer screening and many physicians, concerned about the radiation exposure of mammography, began to promote thermography as a replacement for mammography.
The state of the art breast imaging utilized an ultra-sensitive infrared camera with sophisticated software to detect, analyze and produce high resolution images of temperature and vascular changes with aid in early diagnosis of breast disease and breast cancer.
In the detecting of breast cancer, it looks for increased heat in the breast tissue.
Chemical and blood vessel activity in both pre- cancerous tissue and the surrounding area of a breast cancer is higher than normal tissue.
In order for cancerous tissue to increase its growth rate, increased blood flow to the tissue is maintained by chemicals and new blood vessel growth.
This is called neoangiogenesis.
This cellular activity increases regional surface temperatures of the breast.
Thus, breast thermograph has the ability to detect the first signs of cancer formation up to 10 years before mammography can detect a lump or a mass.
Breast thermography has an average sensitivity and specificity of 90%, meaning this is a very accurate and realizable risk assessment tool.
Uses of Thermography
Thermography is a safe effective means to help in the diagnosis of:
- Breast Cancer
- Diabetes
- Nervous system disorders
- Metabolic disorders
- Repetitive Strain Injuries
- Headaches, Neck and Back Programs
- TMJ Syndromes
- Pain Syndromes
- Arthritus
- Vascular Disorders
- Soft Tissue Injuries
- Stroke Risks
- And much more