About Thermography and About Our Team!
About Thermography
Medical Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging, also known as Thermography, is a state-of-the-art, radiation-free diagnostic tool which creates a digital map of your body, illustrating heat patterns that may detect some condition or abnormality using a scanning-type infrared camera that measures your body's surface temperature. Thermography aids in the detection and monitoring of many types of diseases and physical injury.
One of thermography’s most common applications is in breast health screening. It is FDA registered as an adjunct to mammography, not a stand-alone test. At Beacon Thermography, we believe that mammography and thermography are complementary studies, and we advocate an integrative approach to breast health screening. Thermography can increase your chances of detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages by locating irregular patterns in the breast -- conditions that occur before a noticeable lump is formed. Thermal imaging looks at vascular changes in the breast and detects blood flow patterns, inflammation and asymmetries. Mammograms, on the other hand, focus on anatomical changes, like masses or lumps in the breast tissue.
Thermography can be particularly helpful in women who have been diagnosed with dense breast. This dense normal tissue decreases the sensitivity of mammography but has no impact on thermographic imaging. In fact, a recent study found that the sensitivity of mammography alone for women with dense breasts is as low as 31%.[i] Cancer detection rates are as high as 98% in women who take advantage of both thermography and mammography.[ii]
Aside from breast cancer, thermographic scans can also help detect a large number of conditions and injuries. Many people choose to have full-body scans performed on a routine basis due to thermography's ability to detect conditions and diseases before they become apparent/detectable on standard diagnostic tests. Thermal changes are often the earliest sign of vascular disease, immune dysfunction, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction. It is also the earliest indication of systemic inflammation, a precursor to many diseases—including cancer. Some additional indications include heart disease, arthritis, neck and back pain, sinus issues, dental issues, immune dysfunction, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, carpal tunnel syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, Chron's disease, etc. Please see "Indications for a Thermographic Evaluation" list for more information.
[i] Berg, W.A., Zhang, Z., Lehrer, D., et al., Detection of breast cancer with annual screening ultrasound or a single screening MRI to mammography in women with elevated breast cancer risk. JAMA 2012; 307: 1394-404.
[ii] Keyserlignk, J.R., Ahlgren, P.D., et al., Infrared imaging of the breast; initial reappraisal using high-resolution digital technology in 100 successive cases of stage 1 and 2 breast cancer. Breast J., 4,1998.
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Click HERE for a very informative presentation with more specific information, including some case studies and sample conditions/indications/injuries.
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About Our Team
Our Clinical Thermographers (please click here for our bio's)
Shelly A Laine, Certified Clinical Thermographer, Certified Health Coach
Cecilia Laine-Meinhold, Clinical Thermographer
Tanis J Clark, Clinical Thermographer