THERMOGRAPHY: The First-Step in Breast Screening
By Verna Hunt DC ND

What is Breast Thermography?
Breast Thermography, also known as digital infrared imaging, is a medical technique used extensively in other countries as a first-line screening procedure assessing breast health. In order for solid mass cancer tumours to grow the circulatory vessels of the area that form to feed the tumour do not contain the smooth muscle found normally in all other vessels. With the smooth muscles and the accompanying nerves that control them absent, the heating and cooling becomes abnormal and detectable with highly advanced infrared cameras. In breast thermography screening a digital infrared-sensing camera and high-speed computer are used to measure heat radiated from the breasts and adjacent areas. To distinguish normal from abnormal tissue function, the hands are immersed in cold water to provide a cold challenge to the whole body and the scan is then repeated. Normal cells will show a decrease in heat production while cells with increased cellular activity (e.g. cancer cells) will maintain or increase their heat radiation. A thermologist analyzes the before-and-after-cold-challenge scans and writes a thermology report.

What can Thermography provide that Mammograms can’t?
Because mammograms detect structural changes, a lump or mass of a size detectable on X-ray is already present in breast tissue by the time a problem is found. The next step is further investigation by ultrasound and/or biopsy to diagnose the nature of the lump or mass, and to make treatment decisions. At this point, it is often too late to implement preventive strategies alone and medical intervention is the norm or treatment.

In comparison, Breast Thermography detects functional changes in breast tissue before tumours form and when the tumours are too small to be detected with X-rays. This is done without radiation, compression, contact or needles. Unlike mammograms, thermography can be used for women of all ages and with all types of breast tissue: young, dense, pregnant, breastfeeding, pre- and post-menopausal, fibrocystic, with breast implants, and when on HRT. Men also can be screened as they can get breast cancer too.

Because Breast Thermography is particularly useful during early phases of rapid tumour growth that is not yet detectable by clinical exam or mammograms, it has the potential to detect problems five to eight years before abnormalities can be seen with mammograms. This early detection of abnormal tissue activity makes Breast Thermography extremely useful and cost-effective as a screening strategy and gives the opportunity to apply non-invasive therapies to improve breast tissue function. The non-invasive nature of thermography also allows for repeat scans. This improves the ability to compare changes over time and monitor the results of preventive strategies to protect breast tissue.

What will the report tell you and your health care provider?
A full thermology report with a color copy of your thermography results will be sent to you and/or your health care provider by mail in approximately one month. The international standardized grading system used in the report is called the Marseille System of Classification, which provides strict criteria for rating Breast Thermography scans. The scans are reported on a scale of TH-1 to TH-5:

• TH-1: normal tissue

• TH-2: some changes in tissue i.e. fibrocystic, but normal response to cold challenge

• TH-3: suspicious tissue activity with areas not responding to the cold challenge and maintaining higher heat areas

• TH-4: abnormal tissue activity with areas not responding to the cold challenge and maintaining higher heat areas

• TH-5: severely abnormal tissue activity with areas not responding to the cold challenge and maintaining higher heat areas.

Where can I have a Breast Thermography Exam done?
The American Board of Thermology determines the standardized professional procedures for thermography scanning and analysis. Check that thermography technicians and thermology readers are trained by these standards and are members of the American Academy of Thermology. To locate qualified thermography services in your area contact ThermaScan Inc. at 248-544-7500 or www.thermascan.com. Outreach Clinics can be done in your area where the service can come to a group by contacting Medical Thermography Intl. Inc., 416-440-2599 or www.medthermonline.com.