WELLNESS

• Women that are Health Conscious.
• Women that have had Mastectomies.
• Women that are Breast Feeding.
• Women that are fed up with having Mammograms.  
• Cancer Survivors.
• Women that have Dense & Fibrocystic Breasts tissue.
• Women that want to be Pro-Active with their Health. 
• Woman of all ages. 
• Women that are concerned about a change in their Breasts. 
• Want an Alternative to Damaging Radiation.
• Women with breast augmentation.
• Young Women (teens)

Thermography is a medical diagnostic technique that measures body function by recording heat emission, which has developed into a state-of-the-art science with specific thermal variables indicating a broad range of health assessment indicators. It is excellent for assessing musculoskeletal disorders, vascular diseases and abnormalities of the female breast, which is 3 of the 6 applications it was FDA approved for in 1982. 

Thermography is exceptional in detecting breast cancer within the first years of development, as well as detecting and recording more advanced stages of breast malignancy when proper protocol are used. Infrared imaging shows subtle and dramatic temperature differences that correlate with various types of breast pathology. Thermal imaging is also of great value in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment.

Thermography is different than other invasive techniques, such as mammography and x-ray that penetrate the body with harmful radiation, whereas thermography is non-invasive and radiation free. Most other diagnostic equipment detects anatomical issues, but thermography investigates physiological patterns.

Thermographic examinations are performed in a controlled 20°C or 68°ƒ ambient room to challenge the body, noting a neutral normal skin temperature is 30°C or 86°ƒ. The colder temperature causes a “fight or flight” response to occur and this, in turn, causes the blood vessels to constrict forcing blood inward to the muscles and vital organs as a protective response.

The nitric oxide that is present in the breast, as a result of malignant tumor development, does not allow the blood vessels to constrict near the tumor. Only the normal vessels constrict and the abnormal vessels tend to remain dilated when challenged with the cold-water hand soak. A second series of images is taken following the cold challenge to determine the physiological response. Temperature changes measured from first to second studies provide one of the most critical factors for evaluation of the breasts.

Dr. Claire O’Neill DC, FICPA, DCTSI, CCT trained under  Dr. George Chapman for 8 years during that time she earning her Diplomate and Board certifications. She first received her Fellowship in Thermography in 2012 by Dr. George Chapman DC, CCSP, DIACT, DNBC, FIACT, FCTS, FIACA, who was one of the original pioneers of medical thermology, publishing his first work on Temporomandibular Joint thermography in 1965.  He did performed over 300,000 thermographic studies and developed an extensive database to compare films enabling us to determine the statistical risk of many pathologies, including breast malignancy. We perform the only method of breast cancer screening that has a 97% accuracy rate! This system detects cancer risk at a very early stage, and also shows hormone imbalance, as well as trigger points and muscle strain.

Thermography in Breast Cancer Detection

George E. Chapman, DC, CCSP, DABCT, DIACT, DICACT, DNBC, FIACA, FIACT    Claire H. O'Neill, DC, DCTSI, FICPA, BCCT, FICCT

Thermography is exceptional in detecting breast cancer within the first year of development, as well as detecting and recording more advanced stages of breast malignancy. Infrared imaging shows subtle and dramatic temperature differences that correlate with various types of breast pathology. Thermal imaging is also of great value in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment.

Thermography is different than other invasive techniques, such as mammography and x-ray that penetrate the body with harmful radiation, whereas thermography is non-invasive and radiation free. Most other diagnostic equipment detects anatomical issues, but thermography investigates physiological patterns. The thermogram, using proper protocol, detects changes in the skin microcirculation as a result of temperature and chemical changes. (13)

The skin is the largest organ of the body and contains approximately 25% of the body’s blood. The skin measures about 21 square feet in an average adult and accounts for 15% of body weight. One of the skin’s primary roles is protection from environmental temperature change. The skin’s temperature controlling mechanism has a unique and distinct microcirculation that 1) distributes the thermal excesses produced in the body, and 2) protects the thermal needs by adjustment of the circulation. (11)

Thermographic examinations are performed in a controlled 20°C or 68°ƒ ambient room to challenge the body, noting a neutral normal skin temperature is 30°C or 86°ƒ. The microcirculation of the skin is under the control of the sympathetic nervous system and the colder temperature causes a “fight or flight” response to occur. This, in turn, causes the cutaneous blood vessels to constrict forcing blood inward to the muscles and vital organs as a protective response.

The nitric oxide that is present, as a result of malignant tumor development, does not allow the blood vessels to constrict near the tumor. Only the normal vessels constrict and the abnormal vessels tend to remain dilated when challenged with the cold-water hand soak. The main purpose of a second, or comparative study, is to determine the functional physiological response to a cold-water challenge. Temperature changes measured from first to second studies provide one of the most important factors for evaluation of the breasts.

Clinical experiments by Draper, indicate that only heat brought to within 6mm (~¼”) of the surface of the dermis is emitted. Thermography only detects heat within this range (skin microcirculation).

The scans demonstrate that even implants do not affect microcirculation. Since we are seeing alteration in the microcirculation as a result of nitric oxide blocking normal vasoconstriction in a cold room, or enhanced perfusion of new or existing blood vessels, detection of cancer is considered 92-97% accurate showing thermography to be the most accurate screening test for breast cancer detection currently available. (11, 13)

Breast tissue is unique due to the mechanism of the mammary vessels, fatty tissue and skin temperatures. Early development of breast cancer, as well as risk, can be determined with the proper protocol that includes cooling the body at 68°ƒ for 15 minutes, taking a series of thermographic images, then performing provocative testing with cold water, taking a second series of images, and comparing the temperature between series one and series two.(8) If temperatures cool, a normal physiological response is suggested. If temperatures remain unchanged or warm following the stress test, an abnormal response to the cold water challenge is observed.(9)

Clinical Thermography Associates has determined 26 qualitative and quantitative features that can be observed to determine a patient’s score, establishing the level of concern or risk.(12) The sensitivity and selectivity (1) are highly accurate and provide distinctive information concerning risk factors for malignancy, hormone imbalance (estrogen/ progesterone), and cystic/fibrocystic breasts. The accuracy level for a thermographic reading, starts at 82-90%, and increases to 92-97% with comparative follow-up readings.

Several advantages for breast thermography are:

· Abnormalities of the female breast. 

· Entire chest is observed, neck to abdomen and armpit to armpit. 

· Ability to examine dense breast tissue in young women, even children. 

· Ability to examine breast tissue in men. 

· Ability to observe inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). 

· Can monitor treatment effectiveness. 

· Identifies fibrocystic tissue, showing benignity vs. malignancy. 

· Non-invasive: no radiation or harmful effects. 

· No compression of tissue, which can spread in situ carcinoma (Lancet 1995). 

· Ability to examine breasts with implants without risk of damage. 

· Repeatability: Thermograms can be taken as often as desired. 

Research over the past 40 years has shown that breast thermography significantly augments the long-term survival rates of recipients. When used as part of a three-phase approach, including clinical examination, mammography and breast thermography, 95% of early stage cancers will be detected. (1)

In 1972, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare declared in a paper by director Thomas Tierney, that “…thermography was beyond experimental in the following areas:

· Evaluation of the female breast. 

· Vascular analysis. 

· Extra-cranial evaluations. 

· Neuromusculoskeletal analysis.” 

On January 29, 1982, the Bureau of Medical Devices, U.S. Federal Drug Agency (FDA), published approval and classification for the use of thermography as an adjunctive screening procedure for the detection of breast cancer and the following:

· Abnormalities of the female breast. 

· Peripheral vascular disease. 

· Musculoskeletal disorders. 

· Extra-cranial cerebral vascular disease. 

· Abnormalities of the thyroid gland. 

· Various neo-plastic and inflammatory conditions 

Actually, thermal imaging of the breasts may have vital prognostic value, since it may correlate with specific pathologic features, such as tumor size, tumor grade, lymph node status and markers of tumor growth (5).