Detect erratic heat patterns
Offer early warning signs of breast disease
Show vascular development
Offer a critical view in determining hormonal levels
Show your level of risk of having breast cancer now and in the future.
The principle author of the chapter above is Dr. William C. Amalu, the interpreter of our images. He is considered a “world expert” by the editor of Infrared Imaging of the Breast in The Biomedical Engineering Handbook: Medical Devices and Systems. PDF Link Here has all the science summarized nicely.
“As an addition to the breast health screening process, infrared imaging has a significant role to play. Owing to infrared imaging’s unique ability to image the metabolic aspects of the breast, extremely early warning signals (up to 10 years before any other detection method) have been observed in long-term studies. It is for this reason that an abnormal infrared image is the single most important marker of high risk for the existence of or future development of breast cancer. This, combined with proven sensitivity, specificity, and prognostic value of the technology, places infrared imaging as one of the major frontline methods of breast cancer screening.” —Dr. William C. Amalu, quoted from The Biomedical Engineering Handbook, ch 25, “Infrared Imaging of the Breast”.
Click here for 7 MYTHS about thermography. Knowing these myths will help you judge whether a facility is a quality clinic. Sadly, the field of thermography has more than its share of unethical practitioners who exaggerate the abilities of infrared imaging. It’s got life-saving qualities - yet exaggerating them could be life endangering.
A quick test question to sort out the wheat from the chaff is asking the clinic if they can “see” the carotid artery. Many will claim they can, but this is false and can lead to anxiety, unneeded testing and even damaging treatments. What can be seen with thermography is unilateral hypothermia (one-sided coldness) in the face which may be a sign of carotid artery occlusion. If you’ve received a thermography report that claims the red line on your neck may be a sign of carotid artery inflammation, this is likely a sign of improper training. Carotid arteries are deep in the neck and not visible with thermography - what IS often visible is the external jugular vein.
Hypothermia of greater than 3/4 of one degree celsius from one cheek to the other or one side of the forehead to the other is a big concern however as studies show that it likely means the cold side has an occlusion (blockage) of 50% or greater of the carotid artery. When this finding is present, clients are referred to their doctors “without delay for additional imaging”. See image below for one such client displaying what is known as Capistran’s Sign above her right eye, the flame like shape of hypothermia: