What is Breast Thermography?
Thermography is a non-invasive method of breast evaluation that uses an infrared camera to take pictures of your breast. Thermography evaluates the physiology, “seeing” the thermal signature of breast tissue.
Karis Integrative Medicine is thrilled to offer thermography in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.
Benefits of Breast Thermography:
Simple - It’s as simple as taking your picture.
100% Safe - Nothing is emitted from the camera. Nothing is injected into your body. There is no risk of damage to the fragile cellular DNA.
No Radiation!
Painless - There is no contact or compression.
Cost Effective - (compared to other diagnostic imaging procedures) $200.00 for the thermogram and reading.
Preventative - Thermography allows for early detection and thereby timely investigation and intervention BEFORE symptoms manifest.
Early Health Screening - The first glance at abnormal physiology that allows for early interventions to restore balance.
Why Breast Thermography?
Thermography evaluates vessel patterns and heat signatures. Abnormal tissue requires extra blood supply (angiogenesis) and will often exert heat (thermal changes). Persistent abnormal changes on a thermogram can precede a mass and abnormal mammogram by five to seven years. Breast thermography has been FDA approved since 1982 (Rakhunde, et al. 2022), but is not well known. Thermography is often cautioned against as a stand-alone method of breast evaluation. For that matter, mammography also should not be used as a stand-alone method of evaluation.
Considerable research into the effectiveness of breast thermography has been completed over the years. In a study reported in the American Journal of Radiology in January 2003, evaluation of over 700 women found breast thermography to have a high degree of accuracy.
Thermography is not intended to replace mammography or other forms of structural imaging, but rather add a new dimension in the assessment of breast tissue. Thermography has the ability to increase the early detection of breast disease, such as fibrocystic breast changes. Fibrocystic changes (FCC) are often correlated with “dense fibroglandular tissue” on mammography. This condition decreases the sensitivity of mammography in the early detection of breast cancer, the exact method used for breast cancer detection. As a provider, the frustrating part is not addressing the reasons why women have breast cysts, fibrocystic breast changes, but simply continuing with imaging to “monitor”.
A complete program for breast health includes: clean dietary intake, supplements, hormone balancing, self-breast exams, annual clinical exams, annual thermal imaging, and any other structural diagnostic imaging.
Who Should Obtain a Breast Thermography?
Thermography can be used by women of all ages, from pre-adolescence to post-menopausal women. There is no age limit.
Thermography can be used by women of all shapes and sizes:
Small or large breasted women
Women with breast implants
Women with dense breast tissue
Women with fibrocystic breast tissue
Women who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding
Women who are on hormone replacement therapy
Men can also benefit from Thermography.
Thermogram FAQs
Who can Schedule a Thermogram at Karis Integrative Medicine?
Anyone, established patient or not, can schedule a thermogram appointment in our clinic.
Will my Insurance Cover my Thermogram?
No, thermograms are cash pay appointments only. It will be $200.00 for your thermogram and reading. An optional additional appointment is required to review the results and provide recommendations for established patients. We also offer non-established patients a $250 thermography package that includes the thermogram and reading, a printed copy of your thermogram and a 15 minute thermogram review appointment with general recommendations.
What do I Need to do Before my Thermogram?
Once you schedule the appointment, we will provide you with instructions to follow before your appointment. There are a list of a few things to avoid, such as rigorous activity, skincare products on breasts, etc.
If you’re interested in scheduling a Thermogram, please call our office at 907-203-0044.
Comments