Infra Red Thermography and Breast Cancer Detection
Infra red thermography is a diagnostic technique used to detect signs of potential breast cancer years before the formation of a tumor. It is relatively known to women at this time and my hope is that I can spread the news about this technology so women will be aware that they have more options than just mammograms in detecting breast cancer.
Most women would be surprised to know that mammograms, the traditional screening method for breast cancer, only detects cancerous tumors after they have formed. Thus it really does not "prevent" breast cancer.
Breast cancer detection involves a number of things, and no one diagnostic tool does it all. They all have their place and should be used in a way that best suits the patient and her situation. Let me tell you a bit about infrared thermography and how it fits into that picture.
Cancerous tumors have an abnormal cellular metabolism. In simple terms their energy systems work differently than a healthy cell. They have a metabolism that is dependent on glucose (or sugar) and thus require a network of vascular tissue (blood vessels) to enable them to survive.
The development of this vascular network is called angiogenesis, and it is a very early indicator that a tumor is present in the tissues. It appears even before signs of breast cancer are detectable by either self-exams or mammograms.
Infra red thermography is a thermal imaging technique that detects varying levels of heat energy in breast tissue. These variations in heat signature can indicate the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to support them.
This technique has been largely ignored and downplayed by the medical establishment. This is because it is possible to get a false positive result from thermal imaging such that a suspected signs of breast cancer never develop into a tumor.
However, this is a poor reason for ignoring such an effective and important diagnostic tool. The emphasis should be on the use of thermal imaging as part of the diagnostic strategy for breast cancer detection, rather than the only diagnostic tool used.
The non-invasive nature of thermographic imaging and the fact that it can be used with absolute safety on women from a young age are important as well. Doctors can screen for potential future cancers, without subjecting a young patient to radiation.
Infra red thermography is not a miracle and it is not claimed to replace other methods of breast cancer detection, but it can raise an early warning that will give a woman time to try and prevent the development of breast cancer.
For this reason, it is important that as many women as possible are aware of this important tool and can decide for themselves if they want to use it. They now have the ability to act before there are signs of breast cancer, not after it has been discovered.
You can help raise awareness of infra red thermography and its value as a diagnostic tool in breast cancer detection Please tell your friends and everyone who will listen. You can learn more about this technology at the following link:
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