Frequently Asked Questions About Thermography : The Simple Ones First!

Q. What is DITI?

A. DITI, may be referred to as Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging, Medical Thermal Imaging or Thermography. It’s a non-invasive imaging technique that enables changes in skin surface temperature to be measured and quantified.

Q. So What’s It Telling Me?

A. It’s major clinical value is it’s high sensitivity to pathology in the vascular, muscular, neural and skeletal systems. Information gathered can be a valuable adjunct to clinical diagnosis. Skin blood flow is under the control of the Sympathetic Nervous system, and in normal healthy people, there’s a symmetrical dermal (skin ) pattern, that’s consistent and reproducible.

Since there is a high degree of thermal symmetry in the normal body, subtle abnormal temperature asymmetry’s can be easily identified.

Medical DITI can monitor thermal abnormalities present in a number of diseases, inflammatory conditions and physical injuries. It’s particularly useful for detecting change in integrity of breast tissue.

Q. How Exactly Does it Work?

A. A digital infrared camera converts images of infrared radiation emitted from the skin surface, into electrical impulses that are sent to a computer, and then visualised in colour, on a monitor. This visual image graphically maps the body temperature and is referred to as a thermogram. The spectrum of colours indicates an increase or decrease in the amount of infrared radiation being emitted from the body surface. This information is recorded in very precise detail with a temperature sensitivity of 0.01C.

Q. Clinical Uses for DITI?

A. Thermography is extremely valuable in the early detection of many health concerns, some of which include:

* Breast Cancer * Auto Immune Diseases * Heart Disease * Dental Problems * Vascular Diseases * Sinus Infections * Internal Organ Pathologies * Lung Dysfunction * Arthritic Conditions

Thermography has been in use now, in Europe, the US & Asia for over 20 years, but current state of the art PC- based ‘Digital infrared’ technology and involvement by the military, has really seen it come of age in the last ten years.

Q. What’s It’s Main Use in the Medical Arena?

A. Most recently, the main focus has been in the early detection of breast cancer growth patterns.

Q. What Does Breast Thermography Offer that is SO DIFFERENT?

A. Because of the highly sensitive technology of infrared, the DITI camera can measure heat being emitted where developing cancer cells are located. It can also detect newly deveoping blood supply that feeds a tumour in it’s infancy.This new blood supply is called angiogenesis. Typically this can be anywhere from 5 - 10 years before a palpable lump or mass will appear on a mammogram.

Q. What is DITI UNABLE to Show?

A. DITI is not able to show clearly details of anatomical structures within the body. These are better shown with ultrasound, MRI and X-rays.

IMPORTANT NOTE : Because DITI is a measure of tissue function rather than anatomical structures, DITI may not always show for example the presence of a lump, if this lump is benign, quiet, non invasive or not active. And remember, a lump does not always necessarily mean it’s cancerous or active !

Q. Are There Any Contra-Indications to Using DITI?

A. None - the procedure is non-invasive, non-contact and uses no radiation.  As such it is also perfectly safe to use during pregnancy, although breast images will be affected by the hormonal changes within about 48 hours of conception and will not return to a stable thermal fingerprint until about 3 months after the end of lactation. After this point, Thermal scans can resume as normal.

Q. Do I Need a Referral from my Doctor?

A. No, it’s not necessary to be referred by your doctor, although many practitioners are now recognising the importance of DITI as valuable method of testing and monitoring, and do refer their patients to us.

Q. Can DITI Diagnose Cancer?

A. Thermal Imaging, Mammography and Ultrasounds are NOT diagnostic tests. Thermal Imaging is an objective test measuring skin surface temperature to a very sensitive and accurate degree reflecting changes in physiological and metabolic activity within the underlying tissue area. While breast cancer can only be truly diagnosed by tissue biopsy, breast thermography safely eliminates the need for many unnecessary biopsies as well as the associated high cost and emotional suffering, and it does so years sooner than any other test in modern medicine.

Q. In Relation to Breast Scanning, When should Women start using DITI?

A. With the rising incidence of breast cancer in younger women it’s really is important to begin breast cancer screening long before the age of 40. It should begin around the age of 25 by establishing a stable benchmark, in order to identify young women who are already developing breast cancer, since most breast cancers do not become palpable until they are greater than 1cm in size - by that time 25% have already spread to other parts of the body (metastasised).

Because most lethal breast cancers take approximately 15 years from their beginning to the time of death, women need reliable testing that starts when the cancer is initially forming - which is often in their mid-twenties.

Another reason to start screening earlier is that young women with dense breast tissue are the most difficult to evaluate using breast palpation, mammography and ultrasound examinations, yet their significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer can be accurately detected with breast thermography.

Q. When I Have my Initial Breast Scan, Why do I Need to Come Back in 3 Months for Another Breast Scan?

A. The most accurate result we can produce, is change over time. Before we can start to evaluate any changes, we need to establish an accurate and stable baseline for you. This baseline represents your unique thermal fingerprint, which will only be altered by developing pathology. A baseline cannot be established with only one study, as we would have no way of knowing if this is your normal pattern or if it is actually changing at the time of the first exam. By comparing two studies three months apart we are able to judge if your breast physiology is stable and suitable to be used as your normal baseline and safe for continued annual screening.
The reason a three-month interval is used,relates to the period of time it takes for blood vessels to show change…… a period of time less than three months may miss significant change…….. a period of time much more than three months can miss significant change that may have already taken place.
There is NO substitute for establishing an accurate baseline. A single study cannot do this.

Q. Do you Have to be a Doctor to Operate the Camera?
A. No. Anyone with computer skills can be trained as a thermography technician, and a clinical knowledge of Anatomy & Physiology is also required.

Q. Are There Any Health Insurance Rebates?

Sadly, not at this stage. But if enough women request this service, things will change.By demonstrating a demand, the insurance companies can respond accordingly.