October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of multiple strategies for early detection and risk assessment. Conventional imaging techniques, including mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, primarily identify structural abnormalities such as tumors. But breast thermography, by contrast, is a noninvasive imaging method that employs infrared cameras to measure skin surface temperature and detect heat patterns associated with inflammation and increased blood flow.

The medical use of breast thermography dates back to 1956, when Canadian surgeon Dr. Ray Lawson documented temperature variations associated with a large breast mass. His work initiated decades of research into thermography’s potential role as an adjunctive screening method.

The advantage of thermography is that it detects physiological changes—specifically the vascular and metabolic activity that can precede tumor formation. By tracking variations in blood vessel activity over time, thermography may indicate areas of concern suggestive of a precancerous state.

The procedure is conducted in a temperature-controlled environment. Patients disrobe from the waist up and allow the breasts to acclimate to room temperature before imaging. Next, they stand or sit in front of a special infrared camera while a technician takes images of the skin’s surface temperature. Areas of increased heat are revealed, appearing as red “hot spots,” contrasted against cooler tissue in blue, green or yellow.

An initial thermography scan creates a “thermal thumbprint” used as a baseline for comparison. Two scans, usually taken three months apart, are required to confirm stable patterns of heat and vascular activity, since thermography measures function rather than producing a static image. After this baseline is established, annual studies are recommended to track changes over time.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared thermography for use only in combination with other screening or diagnostic procedures such as mammography. Unlike mammography, it does not expose patients to radiation and does not require compression of breast tissue. It is not approved as a stand-alone method for the detection, diagnosis or screening of breast cancer. As research continues, thermography remains a supplemental option within a broader strategy of preventive breast health.

Dr. Pamela Howard is a doctor of chiropractic and a certified clinical thermographer. She is the owner of Advanced Thermal Imaging, located at 550 Coventry Dr., in Mechanicsburg. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 866-522-3484 or visit AThermalImage.com.