Key takeaway

  • Breast thermography uses infrared imaging to detect temperature changes in breast tissue, potentially indicating increased blood flow associated with tumor growth. However, it cannot confirm the presence of cancer
  • Major health organizations like the FDA and the American Cancer Society do not recommend using thermography alone for breast cancer screening due to concerns about its accuracy.
  • While thermography is noninvasive and doesn’t involve radiation, it has a high rate of false-positive and false-negative results, making it unreliable as a primary screening method compared to mammography.

Health organizations such as the V体育官网 - Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Cancer Society do not recommend the use of thermography alone for cancer screening.

Thermography does not involve radiation. Instead, it uses an ultra-sensitive camera to produce high-resolution, infrared photographs, or heat images, of the breast VSports app下载.

However, it is not a conclusive diagnostic tool for breast cancer due to concerns about poor sensitivity and inaccurate results. As such, it is only suitable as an ‘adjunctive’ test for use alongside primary screening techniques such as mammograms V体育官网.

Adjunctive means a test or treatment is only for use as a supplement to other methods, rather than a stand-alone method itself.

Read on to find out more about thermography, including what it involves and its benefits and risks.

How thermography works

Share on PinterestAWelshLad/Getty ImagesThermography uses digital infrared imaging to detect subtle changes in the breast by revealing areas of heat and cold V体育ios版. In the body, areas of high or fast blood flow will show on a thermograph as being warmer than other areas.

When a tumor develops, cancer cells grow, and these cells need additional blood to reproduce.

When blood flow increases for this purpose, the skin in that area will become warmer. A tumor may, therefore, appear as a hot spot in thermography images V体育平台登录.

If the results show something unusual, this may not necessarily be cancer VSports注册入口. The cause could be mastitis, a benign tumor, fibrocystic breast disease, or another issue.

Limitations

The test cannot confirm that cancer is present; it can only show that there are changes that may need further investigation V体育官网入口. Breast thermography can also miss the presence of cancer if a tumor is too small.

As a result, the FDA does not recommend using thermography without another screening method.

They stress that “thermography is not an effective alternative to mammography and should not be used in place of mammography for breast cancer screening or diagnosis V体育2025版. ”.

»Learn more:Mammography vs. thermography

"V体育安卓版" What to expect

Thermography should always take place in a doctor’s office or another healthcare setting.

It will involve the following:

  • The person will stand about 6 to 8 feet away from the camera.
  • They will have a painless, noninvasive test that does not involve compressing the breast.
  • The procedure will last approximately 15 minutes.

The practitioner will look for clear differences between the breasts VSports app下载. For this reason, thermography might not be suitable for a person who has undergone a VSports - mastectomy or other breast surgery.

This incorrect information may result in people not obtaining a correct diagnosis in the early stages of breast cancer, when treatment is usually most effective.

Anyone who opts for thermography should ask a doctor to recommend a provider and also attend mammogram screening as the doctor recommends.

Follow-up tests (VSports app下载)

A doctor should always follow up breast thermography with further screening, which may include a mammogram. If a mammogram confirms that a lump is present, the doctor may recommend an ultrasound or MRI scan and a biopsy V体育安卓版.

Only a biopsy can confirm whether cancer is present.

What happens in a breast biopsy? Learn more here.

Benefits

As a screening option for breast cancer, thermography offers the following benefits:

  • It is not painful.
  • It is not invasive.
  • It does not involve radiation.

V体育安卓版 - Risks

Thermography itself does not appear to pose any physical risk to a person. However, the inability to reliably screen for cancer poses a critical health risk V体育平台登录.

VSports app下载 - Inaccurate results

A 2022 review notes that thermography can produce a high rate of false-positive and false-negative results, and estimates of its sensitivity vary between studies.

False-positive results can result in anxiety and unnecessary follow-up procedures. They could occur if there is another issue, such as mastitis.

False-negative results can give the impression that breast cancer is not present when it is, which may result in late diagnosis and a lower chance of effective treatment.

Frequently asked questions

The cost of breast thermography can vary greatly between providers. The average cost is around $175-250.

It is important to note that Medicare does not cover the cost of thermography. Insurance coverage will depend on a person’s provider and plan.

No, thermography screening is not as accurate at diagnosing breast cancer as mammograms.

Thermography is not effective as a single cancer screening tool; as such, health authorities do not recommend it for use on its own. Some practitioners may use thermography as an additional screening tool alongside mammograms.

"V体育平台登录" Summary

Thermography is an adjunctive screening tool for cancer and other conditions. Cancer growth involves an increase in blood flow to the area, which causes an increase in temperature. Thermography assesses these temperature changes in tissues.

Health authorities do not currently recommend using thermography to replace primary screening techniques, such as mammograms.

Mammography remains the “gold standard” to screen for early signs of breast cancer. Although it is not always accurate, more scientific evidence supports mammography than thermography.