Caveat emptor - Radiology is NOT Thermography and Thermography is NOT Structural

What Do Thermal Indicators Mean?

Infrared thermal imaging determines if abnormal or asymmetric thermal patterns, consistent with abnormal physiology, are detectable in the breast tissue. This procedure is used as an adjunctive diagnostic procedure in addition to structural tests, not in place of those tests. Thermal imaging is an ideal marker to indicate your level of RISK for breast cancer and also can assist as an indicator of “activity” if a cancer is present. The higher the tissue temperature -- the greater the cellular activity.

Not all ‘cancers’ emit a thermal signal. “DCIS, LCIS and Atypia” are considered cancerous or precancerous on mammography and MAY NOT demonstrate a thermal signal at this time. Additionally – thermal signals can be present within one or both breasts – but may not be located adjacent to a cancer; blood supply is called to a tumor and is not initiated at the tumor. Mammography may locate a cancer in the opposite breast. This is a physiological signal NOT a structural test. A normal TH factor does not rule out the possibility of cancer detectable by mammogram.

Thermal Indicator: TH-1 Symmetric Bilateral – Non-Vascular (normal) TH-2 Symmetric Bilateral – Vascular (normal) TH-3 Equivocal – One Thermal Factor Present (equivocal) TH-4 Abnormal – Two Factor Present (abnormal) TH-5 Suspicious - Three Factors Present (suspicious for malignancy) ,

Your recall period is based on your Thermal Risk indicators. Tumor doubling time averages 150 days. A 3-month recall will determine if your TH Factors are stable or require additional investigation by structural study. Follow-up studies of 6 – 12 months are considered Standard. Recall procedure is important to monitor breast health and to follow any demonstrated changes in either the Risk Index or Thermal Indicator Scale. Statistics have demonstrated that abnormal serial scans demonstrate a greater potential (higher RISK) for conversion than other RISK markers.