Thermography (DITI)

What is Thermography?

Thermography is a non-invasive diagnostic technique that converts infrared radiation emitted from the skin surface into electrical impulses that are visualized in color. The spectrum of colors indicate an increase or decrease in the amount of infrared radiation being emitted from the body surface. Medical Thermography can graphically display and record the subjective feeling of pain by objectively displaying the changes in skin surface temperature that are produced by pain states. Medical Thermography’s major clinical value is in its high sensitivity to pathology in the vascular, muscular, neural and skeletal systems and as such can contribute
to a diagnosis by the clinician.

Clinical uses for DITI include:

To localize an abnormal area not previously identified, so further diagnostic tests can be performed;
To define the extent of a lesion of which a diagnosis has previously been made;
To detect early lesions before they are clinically evident;
To monitor treatment and the healing process before the patient is returned to work.

Frequently asked questions:

Q. Who certifies your thermographers?
A. Thermography technicians are trained and certified by the American College of Clinical Thermology. The American College of Clinical Thermology is an accredited medical association.

Q. Who reads the images and reports?
A. Images are sent to an interpretation service who employ medical doctors who are all board certified as thermologists by the American College of Clinical Thermology. These doctors have many years experience and are able to ask for second opinions whenever necessary.

Q. How quickly will I get my report back?
A. Reports are normally ready within 48 hours. You may collect your report when it is ready or allow for mailing time. If you need your report within 24 hours you can pay an ‘urgent’ fee.

Q. What is the difference between high definition thermography and other types ?
A. Just about all modern cameras provide high-definition images. The ‘definition’ of a thermogram relates to how many individual temperature measurements are taken to build the image. The actual definition is not as important as how accurate and sensitive those temperature measurements are. The higher the definition, the better the picture will look but this does not mean that the accuracy is any better.
Describing a thermogram as ‘high definition’ maybe confusing and misleading as most so-called high-definition images are produced by software manipulation of the data.
Low definition would be considered below 160 x 120 pixels. Industry standard is between 160 x 120 up to 320 x 240 pixels. High-definition would be considered above this and can be as high as 640 x 512 pixels.

Q. Why do I need to come back in three months for another breast study ?
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.

The exam:

The patient is welcomed to the practice and given an intake questionnaire and the HIPPA (patient privacy) forms to sign. This is a good time to ask any questions about the procedure. The next step is for the patient to disrobe down to the underpants and put on a light-weight gown. This allows for the body to acclimate to the ambient temperature of the room before imaging begins. Patient information relating to symptoms and history is taken, this focuses on the primary complaints and concerns of the patient. A full explanation is given before the imaging is started so that the patient understands what is going to take place. The patient is reassured that there is no radiation, no contact with the body and that nothing will be felt. The test will involve a number of views being taken, each view only takes a couple of seconds, so the whole exam will be completed in a few minutes. We require the patient to remain as still as possible for the couple of seconds that the image is not necessary to hold the breath. We routinely take an anterior view followed by both lateral views and then a posterior view, sometimes oblique views are included. The test is just like having your photograph taken, a thermographer focuses the scanner and takes an image which is saved onto the computer to be sent to a doctor for interpretation and reporting. Once all the images have been taken the thermographer reviews the images with the patient and explains what all the colors mean and what to expect from the written report which will be provided within a couple of days. Your report will contain useful information relating to your physiological status (or function of the body). The interpreting doctor will identify any significant findings that relate to your symptoms and history and give an opinion that will help your treating doctor or healthcare practitioner.

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