| In the United States, American women are told to | | | | Infrared Thermal Imaging, also known as DITI |
| begin annual mammographic screening for breast | | | | measures heat emitted from the body and is accurate |
| cancer at the age of 40. Long before we’ve | | | | to 1/100th of a degree. Certified Clinical |
| reached this age, we are advised to perform a | | | | Thermographers follow strict guidelines and transmit |
| monthly breast exam and see our doctors for a clinical | | | | their scans for interpretation by board certified |
| breast exam (CBE) annually as well. However, the | | | | thermologists. DITI examines physiology, NOT structure. |
| detection rate of breast cancer for CBE is only 47% | | | | It is in this capacity that DITI can monitor breast |
| when the tumors are less than 1 centimeter while | | | | HEALTH over time and alert a patient or physician to |
| mammography has given us a 70% detection rate. By | | | | a developing problem; possibly before a lump can be |
| the time a tumor is detected by palpation or found | | | | seen on X-ray or palpated clinically. There are no test |
| mammographically, it has already been growing and | | | | limitations such as breast density. Women with |
| developing for 8-10 years. | | | | cosmetic implants are great candidates for |
| Mammography has a high false positive rate. Only 1:6 | | | | thermography which emits no radiation and no |
| biopsies are found to be positive for cancer when | | | | compression. Contact is never made during a |
| performed due to a positive mammogram or CBE. | | | | thermographic scan. |
| This places additional stressors on women who | | | | Clinical research studies continue to support |
| undergo these procedures. | | | | thermography’s role as an adjunctive tool in |
| Other risks of mammography include the radiation that | | | | breast cancer screening and the ONLY tool that |
| each breast is exposed to during a mammogram. | | | | measures breast health. There are now more than |
| During a chest X-ray, a person receives 1/1000 of a | | | | 800 publications on over 300,000 women in clinical |
| RAD, or radiation absorbed dose. This type of X-ray is | | | | trials. A recent finding published in the American Journal |
| a high energy X-ray. During a mammogram, however, | | | | of Radiology in 2003 showed that thermography has |
| the X-ray used is a low energy X-ray and results in 1 | | | | 99% sensitivity in identifying breast cancer with single |
| RAD or a 1000-fold greater exposure than a simple | | | | examinations and limited views. Scientists concluded |
| chest X-ray. It has been suggested that the low | | | | that a negative thermogram is powerful evidence that |
| energy X-ray used may cause greater biological | | | | cancer is not present. |
| damage which is cumulative over time. In a journal | | | | In conclusion, women need to begin breast health |
| entitled Radiation Research and published in 2004, the | | | | screening early; as young as age 25. This can provide |
| author concludes that the risks associated with | | | | women with the earliest possible indication that further |
| mammography screening may be FIVE times higher | | | | investigation is necessary. It takes approximately 15 |
| than previously assumed and the risk-benefit | | | | years for a breast cancer to form and lead to death. If |
| relationship of mammography exposures need to be | | | | “early detection is the best prevention,” |
| re-examined. | | | | let’s start using technology that truly allows for |
| In 1982, the FDA approved thermography as an | | | | the earliest possible alert to a developing problem. |
| adjunctive tool for breast cancer screening. Digital | | | | |