FAQ
At OC Thermography, we are dedicated to helping women take control of their health through early risk detection and preventative care. We believe in addressing the root causes of breast health concerns rather than waiting for symptoms to arise. Using state-of-the-art thermography technology, we provide a safe, painless, and radiation-free solution to identify risks early—offering you the insights you need for lasting wellness.
MOST COMMON QUESTIONS
What should I do before I come in?
You should not wear deodorants or other skin products on the day of your appointment. This is one of several instructions we have for you to help you prepare for your appointment. Please read the entire checklist available here.
Is thermography covered by insurance?
Traditional insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid plans do not pay for thermography services, however, if you have an HSA, FSA, or HRA plan, you can obtain reimbursement from your medical account for thermography services.
What is thermography (medical infrared imaging)?
Medical infrared imaging uses high-resolution infrared cameras and sophisticated computer processing to produce a topographic heat map display which bears a resemblance to the visible image of the body. Modern computerized thermography produces an accurate and reproducible high-resolution image that can be analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively for minute changes in skin surface heat emissions
Is thermography safe?
Yes! Medical thermography uses no radiation or intravenous access and does not touch the body. The procedure is painless, completely safe, and FDA approved as an adjunctive imaging procedure (to be used in addition to other tests). Infrared imaging does not replace any other form of imaging (e.g. CT, MRI, mammography), but is designed to be used in addition to other tests to provide physiological information that cannot be obtained from any other examination procedure.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
You do not need a referral and may schedule directly with our center.
Why do I see information about medical thermography that is very negative?
If you look closely you will find a common thread among all of these negative reviews; the procedure is being done incorrectly. When personnel are properly trained, and guidelines are strictly followed, breast thermography can be a lifesaving technology. And, like any other procedure in healthcare, the expected outcome is related to the quality of the procedure. In order to assure quality for our clients we adhere to the stringent technologic standards set forth by the International Academy of Clinical Thermology (IACT).
What are the differences between thermograms, mammograms, and ultrasounds?
Thermograms, mammograms, and ultrasounds function differently and provide you with a distinct insight into your breast health. To best understand how each of these tools functions and what they can tell you about your breast health, please review this chart we created.
Other Questions
Is thermography experimental?
No! There are many studies demonstrating the value and accuracy of medical thermography. Thermography was approved as an adjunctive imaging procedure by the FDA in 1982 "for adjunctive diagnostic screening for the detection of breast cancer or other uses”. **(Code of Federal Regulations – Title 21, Section 884.2980 Telethermographic Systems)(Federal Register, Vol 47, No. 20, pp 4419-4420, January 29, 1982).
Is thermography a replacement or alternative to X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, CT or any other type of imaging?
No! The technologies are completely different. One cannot compare a functional imaging technology to a structural imaging tool. For example, an EKG does not replace an echocardiogram. The two technologies look at the heart in a completely different way, yet they complement each other. Thermography provides information about the body that no other technology can offer, but it does not replace them. The reason why there are so many different medical imaging technologies is because no one technology can do it all. They all have strengths and weaknesses.
Thermography does not replace any other form of imaging, but is designed to be used in addition to other tests to provide physiological information that cannot be obtained from other examination procedures. Thermography is an adjunctive physiologic imaging procedure that does not look inside the body. If you are interested in looking for structural changes such as broken bones, or viewing the colon, female reproductive organs, or the arteries of the heart, please see your doctor for the most appropriate test.
Does thermography replace mammograms?
Absolutely not! However, do mammograms replace thermography? The answer to this is also a resounding no; the two tests complement each other. Thermography is adjunctive, it is to be used in addition to other imaging technologies as part of a woman’s regular breast health care. The consensus among health care experts is that no one procedure or method of imaging is solely adequate for breast cancer screening. The false negative and positive rates for currently used examination tests (including thermography) are too high for the procedures to be used alone. However, thermography may pick up thermal markers that indicate the risk of cancers not detected by other tests. An abnormal infrared image is also the single most important marker of high risk for developing breast cancer in the future. It is thermography’s unique ability to monitor the abnormal temperature (physiological) and blood vessel changes produced by pathological breast tissue that allows for extremely early detection. Since it has been determined that 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer, we should use every means possible to detect these tumors when there is the greatest chance for survival. Adding these tests together significantly increases the chance for early detection.
I have seen websites that say that thermography can detect problems with the stomach, colon, heart, immune system, female reproductive organs, prostate, and other internal organs. Is this true?
The easy answer here is no. Thermography can only detect heat to a depth of 5mm from the surface of the body. As such, thermography cannot see into the cranial vault, thoracic cavity, abdomen, or pelvic basin. Remember the “visible man” model that was made for children? It had a clear plastic outer shell so that you could see the internal organs. With thermography, one cannot simply create a “visible man” image with heat at the surface of the body and think that you can transpose it to underlying anatomical structures. We have seen infrared images like this, but they are completely false and misleading.
I've heard of a new advancement that allows infrared imaging to see deep into the body to detect tumors, organ pathologies, and other deep structures. Is this true?
There is nothing new here. These claims were made in the 1990’s, 2000’s, and now again. Every time this has occurred no one has ever been able to prove it. They will tell you that research has been done. They will show you images that claim to prove that their system is the only one that can do this. In most of these instances what you are being shown is common digital subtraction methods that are built into all quality imaging systems.
In all of these instances basic research studies have never been replicated. We know that thermography can only see to a depth of 5mm. How do we know this? Research studies were performed long ago using both animals and humans. Multiple volunteers had heat generating modules surgically implanted at varying depths from the bone to the surface of the skin. The surgical procedures were allowed to completely heal and baseline MIR images taken to demonstrate normal thermal patterns. Each module was turned on individually and heated to just under the point of causing cellular death (This is well over any temperature that would be generated from a pathology). It was discovered that until the heat source was within 5mm of the surface of the skin it could not be detected. Now, has infrared technology advanced since then? Absolutely, but have the laws of thermodynamics changed? When asked if these “new” imaging systems have undergone research by reproducing these studies you will find that the answer is no. Until they do there is no proof.
At this point we have something that may be very dangerous. If these claims were true why would we need basic radiology, CT, MRI, ultrasound, mammography, or any other medical imaging technology? Thermography offers significant advantages in many areas, but if patients are allowed to believe that thermography can see deep into the body and provide screening for the early detection of internal disorders we are endangering their lives.
Other Questions
I’ve heard that tooth infections like root canal abscesses can cause breast cancer. Is this true?
No! And this issue needs to be addressed as there are offices who are using this to scare patients into spending thousands of dollars on unnecessary dental procedures and thermograms.
Are there standards and guidelines for the interpretation of thermograms?
Absolutely! How could any medical imaging technology provide service without standards and guidelines? Quality peer-reviewed and published research studies performed in leading universities have established a normative database of objective topographic thermal gradients and temperature values. Almost 10,000 references exist in the literature using this normative database to examine for pathology.
What kind of doctor can provide interpretation of thermograms?
Within the healthcare specialties, DCs (Doctors of Chiropractic), MDs (Medical Doctors), and DOs (Doctors of Osteopathy) can become radiologists. Just as with radiology, DCs, MDs, and DOs can become thermologists. All of these doctors have the clinical acumen necessary to take additional training to specialize in radiology or thermology.
When I get my report, will the thermologist provide me with treatment recommendations?
Absolutely not! It is the thermologist’s duty to NOT intervene in treatment. Your treatment must be directed by your doctor.
Does the thermologist know your complete health history? Has he or she reviewed all of your recent and past laboratory exams? Does the thermologist know all of the medications, supplements, herbals, etc. you are taking? Has the thermologist consulted with or at least have your complete health history from all the other health care providers/specialists involved in your care? Has the thermologist provided you with a recent physical examination to be sure of certain health markers? Can you imagine the level of irresponsibility the thermologist would have to undertake to make treatment recommendations simply off the findings of a thermogram? There is a real possibility here that a patient could be seriously injured or worse.
The findings and recommendations on the report are sufficient enough for your doctor to use in providing care. Have you ever seen a radiologist recommend anything other than further follow-up testing on a mammogram, X-ray, CT, ultrasound, or MRI report?
Are there standards and guidelines under which thermograms need to be taken?
Yes, and without them the images would be useless. The standards and guidelines under which offices and imaging centers provide thermography have been in-place since the early 1980’s. There are both pre-imaging protocols that patients must follow before coming in for imaging and there are also strict protocols under which the images are taken in the laboratory.
In order to prevent artifacts on the images, every patient must be provided with a list of pre-imaging instructions that must be strictly followed. The imaging room must also be designed properly and environmentally controlled within strict guidelines. The room itself should be draft free and relatively cool (68-73 degrees F) with no incandescent lighting, no heat or cooling sources near the patient, no windows without coverings, and environmentally held steady within 1 degree C during the entire time of the imaging study. In other words, you should be placed in a draft-free cool room that is very thermally stable. You will also need to spend 15 minutes acclimating to the room before imaging (nude from the waist up for breast imaging or with suitable underwear and a loose-fitting gown for body imaging). And lastly, the imaging system itself must meet minimum acceptable specifications for medical use and be registered with the FDA in order to provide thermograpy. Without these standards in place the images would be useless.
What do I look for in a qualified thermography center?
Choosing a qualified office or imaging center should be as simple as performing an internet search for an office in your area, but unfortunately it isn’t. There are many offices that have very poorly trained personnel using substandard imaging systems and doctors that are providing image interpretation without a proper education.
Just like any office or imaging center offering radiology services, a qualified thermography center should have certified technicians performing the imaging and a board certified thermologist providing the interpretation of the images. But are these “certified” technicians and “board certified” thermologists really well-educated and certified? This is the problem we are seeing. The caliber of the training of the technician and thermologist is of the utmost importance. I guess the best way to understand the current problems we encounter, and the solution to this problem, is to use an example that we can all understand.
I think that all of us could agree that Harvard University is a good example of a quality institution of higher learning. But how do we know this? Well, Harvard has a long history of providing an exceptional education through their well-educated faculty. And the students who graduate are a reflection of this level of education. The foundation of this level of quality education is lineage. The professor that is currently teaching was taught by a professor who also had this level of quality instruction and this professor also had ……… you get the point. Without a quality lineage of educators, you cannot produce a quality educated student.
Now it is up to you to ask the right questions when interviewing an office or imaging center providing thermography. Is the technician certified by an association or group that has a faculty that can trace their lineage? Does the technician provide imaging under recognized standards and guidelines? Has the thermologist providing their interpretations been board certified by a recognized group that can trace their lineage? Does the thermologist provide interpretation of breast thermograms using peer-reviewed and accepted guidelines – is each breast given a TH grading?
You will need to make the decision if the answer is no to any one of the above.