5 Things to Do Before Getting a Thermography Breast Cancer Screening

Almost 13% of women will develop breast cancer during their lives, according to the National Cancer Institute. Catching cancer early is crucial to treatment success and survival. Along with an annual mammogram, some patients seek thermography to supplement traditional screening. We’ll explain thermography and the five things you need to do before getting a thermogram.

How Does Thermal Breast Imaging Work?

Through breast thermography, doctors look for temperature emission variations to get a picture of the tissue’s physiology. It also captures and elucidates the vascularity or networks of blood vessels within the tissue. Thermal imaging can help your provider analyze variations in infrared heat and arrangements of the blood vessels. Any deviations from what would look like healthy breast tissue may signal possible benign formations like a localized infection, or it may be a sign of a cancer process that is requiring more blood to grow.

The scan is non-invasive, painless, and doesn’t use cancer causing radiation. During screening, your provider uses a highly sensitive infrared camera to scan your breast area. The scan produces a “heat map” of places that show abnormalities like inflammation or atypical tissue formations.

If you’re thinking of including thermography in your comprehensive screening program, here are five things you should do to get the most from this procedure:

1. Know the Benefits of Getting Thermal Breast Imaging

If thermography intrigues you, consider your reasons for seeking this type of screening. Patients get thermal imaging for many reasons. For instance,

• It’s suitable for all genders and just as important for men.
• There’s no uncomfortable squeezing of the breasts.
• It’s effective for any breast size.
• It’s a suitable screening for women under 25.
• You can use this screening if you have implants or have had a breast reduction.
• Fibrocystic disease won’t distort the image or interpretation of the results.

2. Understand Its Shortcomings, Too

Remember that mammograms are the only screening tool with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, which isn’t available for thermal breast imaging. One of the reasons is that a pattern detected by the heat map doesn’t specifically tell you what’s going on, only that any abnormalities need further testing. Also, health insurance doesn’t cover thermography, but fees at most clinics are relatively affordable.

The major strength of this test is that it shows your physiology in real time and assesses the risk of your tissue to growing or developing a cancer process. If you have a lump with no blood flow there is little concern, and a lump with a blood supply is a very different picture. Most important is that if you have a high-risk breast with no lump, there may be time to change your lifestyle and adapt a breast health program the success of which can be seen on successive scans. The test can be a warning, giving you time to change before bigger problems follow.

3. Continue to Schedule Your Annual Mammogram

While thermography can provide a more comprehensive look at your breast health, it’s no substitute for a standard mammogram. That’s why Dr. Blatman recommends getting a thermal scan in addition to a standard mammogram.

4. Prepare Questions Before Your Screening Appointment

Writing down questions for your provider is a sound practice regardless of the reason for your doctor’s visit. In preparation for your thermography screening, you may not be familiar with the procedure or how thermal breast imaging works. Asking questions gives your doctor a chance to alleviate your concerns. Getting answers also makes you feel more comfortable during your appointment and helps you make more informed decisions about your healthcare.

5. Be Wary of False Claims

Despite knowing a thermogram’s limitations, it can be tempting to use it as a primary screening method if a website or company promises that its thermography tool can detect cancer better than traditional mammograms. However, there’s no evidence to support such assertions. The FDA takes regulatory action against practitioners and companies who make such false claims.

Find a Holistic Health Clinic for Your Thermography

Thermal breast imaging can be an effective tool that helps you stay on top of your breast health. The most important tool is your own monthly self-examination. Many patients undergo thermal imaging to manage fibrocystic disease, or monitor changing breast texture or estrogen dominance in hormone balancing. At Blatman Health and Wellness Center, we offer comprehensive assessments and an easy-to-understand report along with your thermal scan. Contact our office to learn more or schedule your screening.