Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) is a non invasive, painless,  state- of- the- art screening tool to help diagnose breast cancer. It has been used by progressive physicians in the U.S. and Europe since 1962.  Called Thermology or Thermography, it's based on infrared heat emissions from targeted regions of the body.     
     As the body's cells metabolize, they emit heat.  Thermography is able to register these heat emissions, display them for a computerized evaluation, and compare individualized screenings over time; thereby providing a diagnostic window into the functional physiologic status of a given body area, such as the female breast.
      Thermology, without any exposure to radiation, if used as part of an early detection program gives women of all ages the opportunity to increase their chances of detecting breast disease at an early stage. 

FIBROCYSTIC BREASTS Significant vascular activity in the left breast which was clinically correlated with fibrocystic changes.

INFLAMMATORY CANCER There were no visible signs of abnormality. Referral to a breast specialist and a subsequent biopsy diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer at a very early stage.

DUCTAL CARCINOMA The vascular asymmetry in the upper left breast was particularly suspicious and clinical investigation indicated a palpable mass. A biopsy was performed and a DCIS of 2 cm was diagnosed.

     The procedure is most often recommended for women under 40 who have a family history of breast cancer, women who cannot have mammograms due to prior surgical procedures or other issues such as extreme sensitivity, breast implants, women who have pacemakers or defibrillators and women who just won't do mammograms. Women older than 40 may incorporate it into their breast health-care screenings in order to decrease radiation exposures according to their risk status for breast cancer.

BASELINE Baseline thermogram showed a slight hyperthermic asymmetry in the upper right breast.

3 MONTHS The follow-up study at 3 months showed the pattern had become more well defined. Mammography was inconclusive.

12 MONTHS Significantly increased vascular changes. Repeat mammogram showed a small calcification (1 mm) at 1 O’clock. A lumpectomy was performed confirming a malignant carcinoma (DCIS).

     Dr. Schultz has been using Thermography and Mammography in her breast care regime since 2001. Her conclusion is that you need both, but the timing is variable for each woman's individualized breast cancer risk assessment. With short term scanning she has diagnosed breast cancer in women doing both modalities and equally as often in either screening when the opposite screening was negative. In long term screening women, hyperthermic changes dictate therapy that, to date, have seemed to divert any diagnosis of breast cancer. 
     So, the power in this modality may be the long term ability to change the ultimate outcome; but as she has said to many patients "who will ever be able to prove that breast cancer was diverted?" 
     To modern medicine this modality may seem superfluous and will need cost benefit studies to show its usefulness. 
     To women this thinking is just insane because not getting breast cancer is the goal of Thermology and finding breast cancer "early" is the goal of Mammography..... most women would chose not having breast cancer, even if it were just one woman.
                       

Studies show up to a 61% increase in survival rate when breast thermography and mammography are used together (1).

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References:
1. Gautherie, Ph.D.; Thermobiological Assessment of Benign and Malignant Breast Diseases. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 1983; V 147, No. 8: 861-869

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