Breast Thermography
~ RADIATION FREE ~
Breast Thermography in Shelton.
Breast thermography is a radiation-free, touch-free imaging procedure that has been FDA cleared since 1982 as an adjunctive screening tool to aid in the early detection of breast cancer.
The technology of thermography has been utilized for decades and can detect physiological changes of the breasts at an early stage. It is safe for women of all ages and is equally effective for women with dense breast tissue. This is particularly important considering that up to 60% of women have dense breast tissue.
Research shows that mammography is effective in detecting breast cancer in women with non-dense breast tissue. However, the accuracy of mammography drops dramatically for women with dense tissue.
~ BREAST CANCER PREVENTION ~
Blood Vessel Activity.
Breast thermography is based on the principle that blood vessel activity is almost always higher in pre-cancerous tissue and the area surrounding a developing breast cancer than in healthy tissue. Cancer cells have an ever-increasing need for nutrients.
Neoangiogenesis is a phenomenon specific to cancer, which permits the creation of new blood vessels to supply such nutrients and ensures the growth of cancer cells or a cancerous tumor.
With the activity of new blood vessels, there's an increased blood flow that produces temperature variations within the breast that can be detected by a medical infrared camera, as seen in these thermographic images.
~ ABOUT BREAST THERMOGRAPHY ~
Breast Thermography FAQ's
Who will benefit from breast thermography?
Thermography benefits patients at any age to include breast thermography as an adjunct to regular breast health care. Breast cancer is particularly aggressive in younger women. Statistics indicate that approximately 15% of all breast cancers occur in women under the age of forty-five. However, there are no clear guidelines for the use of imaging procedures during these years, or younger. With the addition of breast thermography, young women have a tool that they can add to their regular breast health check-ups.
How does breast thermography work?
Breast thermography utilizes an ultra-sensitive, medical infrared camera and sophisticated computers to detect, analyze, and produce high-resolution images of temperature variations. These temperature variations may be among the earliest signs of breast changes or a pre-cancerous/cancerous state.
How can breast thermography helps prevent breast cancer?
Current methods used to detect suspicious signs of breast cancer depend primarily on a combination of both physical examination and mammography. While this approach has become the mainstay of early breast cancer detection, more is needed. Since the prevention of breast cancer has not yet become a reality, every effort must be directed at detecting breast cancer at its earliest stage.
As such, the addition of thermography to the front line of early breast cancer detection brings a great deal of good news for all women. Thermography can also help fill the gap for younger women, especially those under the age of forty where currently there is no breast screening methods advised.