Every Woman should include breast thermography as part of her regular breast health care. With the incidence of breast cancer on the rise, and mortality rates basically unchanged, we must do everything we can to provide better screening in an effort to prevent women from having to deal with this terrible disease.
Breast cancers are particularly agressive in younger women. Statistics indicate that 15% of all breast cancers occur between the ages of 20 and 44. However, there are no guidelines for the use of sensitive detection imaging during these years. With the addition of Digital Infrared Imaging (breast thermography), women in this age group have a sensitive procedure that they can add to their regular breast health check ups. The following thermographic guidelines for early breast cancer detection include careful breast monitoring during these years.
Breast Thermography Guidelines for Early Detection
Initial infrared scan by age 20
20-30 years of age – every 3 years
30 years of age and over – every year
It takes years for a tumor to grow thus the earliest possible indication of abnormality is needed to allow for the earliest possible treatment and intervention. Thermography's role in monitoring breast health is to help in early detection and monitoring of abnormal physiology.
Breast cancers tend to grow significantly faster in younger women under 50
Age Average Tumor Doubling Time
Under 50:
80 Days
80 Days 50 – 70:157 Days
157 Days Over 70:188 Days
188 Days Does Breast Thermography Take The Place Of Mammography?
No, because whereas mammography is a test of anatomical structure, Breast Thermography is a test or measure of function, detecting subtle changes in physiology and metabolic activity within the underlying tissue.
In the event of detecting any suspicious asymmetrical changes within the breast tissue, it is advised to have this clinically correlated with mammography and/or ultrasound.
Therefore Breast Thermography does NOT take the place of Mammography. They are two different types of technologies that look at the breast in two very different ways. One compliments the other and also adds to the other.
