Health & Wellness: Thermography – Breast Health Screening Tool
Thank you to Sandra Chaloux of The Wellness Hub and Tammy Leiner of the Longevity Centers for this blog post.
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Thermography – Breast Health Screening Tool
Written by Sandra Chaloux & Tammy Leiner
October is well-known as Breast Cancer Awareness month, but we prefer to call it Breast HEALTH Awareness month.
Everyone knows about the importance of early detection and annual screenings. Today, our goal is to share information about a complementary screening tool that can help you learn more about your breast health.
Thermography – also referred to as Thermal Imaging – is a way to measure and map the heat on the surface of the breast using a special heat-sensing camera. The thermal images show heat, blood supply and metabolic activity and are analyzed by a doctor for abnormalities that may indicate signs of disease in the body.
Thermography can help to detect irregular patterns in the breast and conditions that occur before a noticeable lump is formed. Certain cancers – like inflammatory cancers – are not “lump” cancers and cannot be detected by self-exams. Annual thermography scans may be able to help with early detectionby mapping changes in the body’s heat patterns over time and alerting you to any deviations from your norm. Thermal Imaging is non-invasive, painless (no compression), and doesn’t emit radiation.
What Happens during a Thermography Appointment?
A thermography breast scan takes about 30 minutes in total.
1. You begin by sitting in a temperature-controlled room to allow the body to cool from any external conditions and to complete paperwork, including a health survey.
2. You are then positioned in front of a Thermal Imaging Camera and the technician takes digital pictures. During this 5 – 15 minute photo session, you will be able to see your body “live” on the computer screen. This helps you to better understand your body.
3. Following the photo session, your digital images are sent to a certified doctor for analysis of the amount of heat and the symmetry of the heat patterns. Heat patterns may indicate infection, inflammation, or a variance from your body’s norm.
4. A report is then delivered directly to you via email or mail within 3-7 business days. This report will help you and your doctor to determine recommended next steps.
An annual thermogram can better help you to monitor your breast health and identify any abnormal changes. The best way to detect problems is to measure changes against your body’s normal baseline.
To learn more about thermography and our special offer available through Wellness Hub, please visit: http://wellnesshubnova.com/.
Sandra Chaloux is the founder and owner of wellnesshubnova.com. WellnessHubNova.com (Wellness Hub LLC) is the online destination for Northern Virginia residents who are seeking information and resources for alternative, holistic, and integrative health and wellness.
Tammy Leiner is the founder and owner of the Longevity Centers covering the Mid-Atlantic region and Washington DC.Tammy received her certification in Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) and completed advanced clinical training at Duke University Hospital under the tutelage of Dr. Peter Leando, President of the American College of Clinical Thermology (ACCT) in 2004. Tammy is a passionate advocate of breast thermography – specifically, for women who want earlier detection and prevention, less invasiveness from compression and/or harmful radiation.