Is disease detected with thermography? Thermography is a non-invasive clinical imaging option. Thermographymonitors and gives insight to the overall health of your body. For example, this includes diseases and physical injuries. Using a digital infrared camera, thermography creates a digital “map” of your body’s temperature pattern. This “blueprint” can show abnormalities that may indicate inflammation. Inflammation always precedes disease processes. So is disease detected with thermography? While the details are multi-faceted, the answer is yes.
Naturally, the body gives off heat. As a result, this heat, when captured by a thermographic camera, gives us a visual image. And this image displays inflammation within the body.
Left unaddressed, inflammation leads to disease processes. Because it is often the precursor and first sign of many degenerative diseases, inflammation is important to keep under control. For instance, cancer, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, fibromyalgia, thyroid issues, and a host of chronic health issues all have a connection to inflammation.
When Is Disease Detected With Thermography?
Thermography enables you to detect inflammation early. In fact, sometimes even before symptoms arise! In turn, this helps you to make any necessary lifestyle changes to decrease inflammation. Additionally, these changes assist in preventing underlying health conditions before they’re allowed to fully develop.
Above all, thermography is a safe, non-invasive, no-touch, no radiation process. That means at Insight Thermography of Oklahoma, there is no poking or prodding.
In fact, it’s just you and a camera in a room together. Our certified thermographer runs the camera from the other side of a divider/wall in the room. She can’t see you at all. Thermography with us is totally private and painless. When the process is over, a medical doctor interprets your images.
How Can Disease Be Detected With Thermography?
Thermal imaging works by detecting temperature variations related to blood flow. Through our camera, warmer areas of the body stand out against cooler areas. To that end, these pattern changes tracked over time provide a “thermal fingerprint” for your body.
When it comes to disease, we observe skin temperature changes near the primary source of inflammation. For example, cancer cells tend to grow and multiply quickly. Therefore, blood flow and metabolism are higher in the areas near a growing tumor. Naturally, this means skin temperature near these locations, on a thermogram, looks “hotter.”
Thermography is a valuable tool in preventing and detecting underlying disease. However, it is important to note that “detect” is not the same as “diagnose.” As with most types of imaging, thermography itself is not diagnostic. In other words, it can not diagnose you with a specific, nameable disease. Thermography DOES help in detection of an underlying disease process. In turn, thermography equips you to make lifestyle changes or seek further medical advice if necessary.
In reality, inflammation can point to multiple disease processes. Because thermography uses no radiation, no compression, no touching, it can screen for many concerns, such as:
- Head and Neck
- Sinuses
- TMJ
- Carotid Artery
- Thyroid
- Breasts and Respiratory System
- Bladder
- Cardiovascular System
- Abdomen (GI Tract and Reproductive System)
- Muscular and Skeletal Systems (Arthritis, Orthopedic issues)
- Varicose Veins
At Insight, we offer three types of scans. These include: the Breast Study, Health Study, or Full Body Study.
For more information, contact us online or at (405) 306-6340.