Thermography

Thermography uses infrared imaging to detect heat patterns and blood flow, highlighting changes that could signal potential health concerns. Unlike mammograms, which are X-ray-based and involve compressing breast tissue between two plates to capture structural images, thermography is non-invasive, radiation-free, and focuses on physiological changes.

Mammograms are X-rays and therefore particularly sensitive to calcium deposits. This is what makes X-rays so effective at imaging our bones (calcium absorbs X-rays and appears white compared to fat and other tissue). However, it’s this sensitivity to calcium that sometimes leads to over-diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), which may not always pose a serious health risk but often results in additional medical interventions such as biopsy or even mastectomy. Mammography also struggles with dense breast tissue—common in about 40% of women over 40—since both dense tissue and cancer appear white on X-rays, making it challenging to distinguish abnormalities.

Thermography, on the other hand, does not rely on dense tissue differentiation, making it a valuable option for women of all ages, including those with dense breasts, by providing insights that traditional imaging may miss.

For more information on the limitations of mammography, check out our blog here.

Tumor markers are substances found in the blood that can indicate the presence of cancer. In our clinic, we measure three specific markers—AFP, CA 15-3, and CEA. If a thermogram appears normal but one or more tumor markers are elevated, it can prompt further testing to identify potential concerns early, even if they are outside the breast. This approach is particularly powerful because, as demonstrated in our patient case study, these tumor markers can reveal issues in other parts of the body that might not be detected through traditional breast-focused screenings. Conversely, if thermography reveals abnormal heat patterns or blood flow, biomarkers provide additional clarity, either confirming the presence of an issue or helping to rule out false positives.

This comprehensive method allows us to offer a more accurate and holistic view of your health. Even if breast abnormalities are ruled out, elevated tumor markers may lead to secondary investigations that uncover problems elsewhere—concerns that might have gone unnoticed with standard screenings. By combining thermography’s physiological insights with the broad-spectrum capabilities of tumor markers, we deliver a more personalized and proactive screening experience.

Thermography and the tumor marker panel offer a comprehensive screening approach that can be a valuable adjunct to your annual mammogram. We do have some patients seeking a non-invasive, radiation-free option who elect not to continue undergoing mammograms following normal thermography and biomarker results. However, we recommend discussing your screening plan with a healthcare provider to determine what’s best for you, especially if you have a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors.

Yes, thermography is completely safe and can be used as frequently as needed. It is non-invasive, involves no radiation, and poses no risks, making it a great option for ongoing monitoring of breast health. We recommend annual thermograms for screening, though some patients may require more frequent imaging depending on their results or risk factors.

We also recommend women start at age 20 to capture baseline patterns as they age. Additionally, we highly recommend our patients starting bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) get baseline imaging BEFORE their hormones are corrected. This is because restoring hormones to pre-menopausal levels causes breast density to be similarly restored. By seeing thermal patterns before and after hormone-correction, we have a more comprehensive picture of your breasts and can rule out false-positive vascularity.

There are certain activities that should be avoided in the week leading up to your imaging to achieve the best possible screening. Please see our Thermography Pre-Imaging Instructions for more information. You may contact our office if you have additional questions.

During a thermography session, you will lay comfortably on your back, unclothed from the waist up, in our private, specially cooled room for 15 minutes. This cool down period is essential for acclimatizing your skin and making sure we get the most accurate readings possible.

Once you have cooled, our technician will enter the room with our infrared camera to capture thermal images of your body. Typical upper-body thermograms require about 6-8 images. In order to get the best angles, our technician will take some images while you are laying supine (on your back), seated, and/or standing up.

The process is quick, painless, and requires no contact with your skin. If you choose to include the tumor marker panel, we will give you a LabCorp requisition at check-out so you may get your blood drawn at one of their patient service centers. You can find a LabCorp near you here.

Thermography results are typically available within 7-10 business days. If you opt for the tumor marker panel, those results generally finalize in 2-3 business days. Your Thermography and lab reports will be saved to your patient portal, and our technician will contact you to review your results. If anything comes back abnormal, we recommend that you schedule an appointment with your provider to discuss next steps. Those who are not already established patients with our practice may opt to meet with one of our providers.

No, you do not need to be an established patient to schedule a thermography session. Our thermography and tumor marker screening services are open to everyone, regardless of whether you’re a current patient. We also do not require a referral to schedule you for imaging, though we do have a Referral Form that outside providers may fax to our office if they wish to include any particular diagnosis, history, or special instructions with your order.

It’s important for thermography clients—those who are not established MyHealth1st patients—to understand that they are responsible for confirming the results of the screening, initiating any necessary follow-up care, and seeking professional medical assistance. MyHealth1st will instruct clients to communicate any findings directly to their own physician, and we are happy to share the imaging results with any healthcare providers upon request. If clients wish to discuss the results with one of our providers, they may schedule an appointment to do so.