The principle behind thermal imaging is quite simple. Ideally, the skin covering a malignant breast tissue gets warmer than the surrounding tissue. Using heat sensitive/infrared cameras, images taken can be used to detect cancer at its earliest stage possible.
Cancers require nutrients to support their growth from the earliest stage possible hence increasing blood supply to the region. This means that inactive blood cells suddenly become active with the new ones forming in effort to sustain the nutrient requirement. This increases surface temperature in the region. The newly formed vessels and activated ones are also distinct and can be detected with infrared screening.
Given that all women have unique-finger print like thermal breast patterns, initial infrared image is taken and used as reference. Since the normal cell doubling rate is about 80 days, the patient is expected to take the second infrared image after around 90 days. The two photos can then be compared and analysed for any changes. If there is no change on the thermal pattern, this forms the basis for future comparisons. The patient is only required to attend the clinical tests annually.
In case of any suspicion on the first screening or even the second one, the patient is promptly sent detailed diagnosis testing. With these noteworthy effects, thermography has the ability to recognize inconsistencies several years before mammography can. The progressions discovered are at cell level making it conceivable to spot potential tumour 8 to 10 prior years in advance of any other test. This is supported by research that proves that cancerous tumours become detectable after having developed for over seven years or more.
This type of screening bears you a chance to alter your lifestyle and develop dietary habits that do not encourage development of cancerous cells. This makes it a preventive approach rather than just a diagnostic procedure like the other tests.
It does not hurt in any manner since it is non-intrusive procedure. It has no side effect and is also free of radiations. Likewise, it works better for circumstances where mammography is not suitable, for example, ladies with small breasts, those who need special attention due to breast implants, post-mastectomy screening, and screening of male patients, case like Abnormal Lymph, Thyroid, Brachial and Carotid and all other cases where mammography is not ideal.
Breast thermography offers more details than any other test can and in the earliest possible opportunity. It is however a risk assessment tool that is best if used together with other forms of tests like mammography since they are complementary and cannot replace each other. When used together, you can be sure of earliest and most accurate diagnosis.
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