Everyone has a particular infrared map of their body that is as unique as the ridges and lines of their fingerprints. Thermography is an FDA approved medical grade infrared camera that detects and records a patient’s cutaneous thermal patterns. The goal of this screening tool is to detect subtle variations of heat radiating from the body’s surface that arise from diseases such as cancer. This is based on the principle that as cancerous tumors develop, there is
increased circulation and metabolic activity in that area. Any variation in repeated images taken over months to years can help illustrate the progress of healing and rehabilitation or indicate early signs of an abnormality.
While thermography is most notably used in early cancer screening, it can also be utilized to detect a plethora of conditions that can be divided into three major categories: inflammatory, vasomotive and vascular. Detectable inflammatory conditions include infection, active arthritis, soft tissue injury and musculo-skeletal dysfunction. Vasomotive disorders such as neuropathy and reflex sympathetic dystrophy can also be identified. Vascular phenomena like DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and ischemia can be visualized clearly. With all the conditions this test can help identify, it can also assist healthcare providers in measuring their treatment regimen’s efficacy.
One of the most notable differences between thermography and other imaging tests such as mammography, sonograms and MRIs is that it is a non-invasive measurement of the physiology (function) rather than the anatomy (structure) of the body. Thermography’s heat- sensing scanner technology uses highly refined infrared cameras that make over 76,000 digital measurements with each image. Although it is not considered to be widely known yet, the
thermography field has developed an extensive scientific clinical research data bank that includes over 800 published research papers and testing of more than 300,000 people. Patients have seen the greatest outcome when using thermography in conjunction with other screening
methods.
Early detection for any condition is key. Make thermography a part of your annual routine to stay proactive and in control of your health.
