Breast Thermal Imaging, the paradigm shift
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Breast Thermal Imaging, the paradigm shift
Department Chairman Thermographic Sciences CCC-LA
SUMMARY
Infrared thermal imaging of the breast, a non-invasive adjunctive diagnostic methodology has become all but non-existent in the United States. This is in large part due to extensive debate concerning thermography in the trial courts, related to spinal injury cases and also due to the model or basis used for breast thermal imaging. This paper attempts to identify possible factors which will bring thermal breast imaging back into serious mainstream consideration as a valid adjunct to overall breast pathology diagnosis.
KEY WORDS:
Breast thermal imaging, protocol, technology, quantification, paradigm shift, prevention, risk assessment.
INTRODUCTION:
For purposes of this paper, I define the word "paradigm" to mean "model". The paradigm, or model for breast thermal imaging must change.
The initial use of thermography was for breast cancer screening and diagnosis. This was error. Thermography as a test of physiology is not capable of, and will never be capable of detecting breast cancer.
Anatomical testing such as mammography can also not detect breast cancer. This is a paradox. Both procedures, thermography and mammography, demonstrate abnormalities indicating the possibility of the presence of cancer, as well as a host of other breast conditions. These clinical findings require differential diagnosis.
ONLY laboratory confirmation of abnormal cell morphology can make the correct diagnosis of cancer.
Thermography's role in breast cancer and other breast disorders is one of early detection and monitoring of aberrant (abnormal) physiology and the establishment of risk factors for the development or existence of cancer. This is breast thermography's only role at the current time in history.
After large scale clinical trial under appropriate protocols and further development of the procedure, equipment, protocol and certification it is hoped that certain thermal "markers" may become more generally accepted and pathognomonic of various breast disorders, including types and location of cancer.
APPROPRIATE TRAINING
Since thermography is a non-invasive (no radiation) procedure there is no specific legislation or regulatory act under which thermography can be scrutinized in the United States. Early thermographic pioneers created entrepreneurial training and certification programs for both physicians and technicians.
These programs cultivated a host of new course instructors and a variety of organizations and certifications became available.
Some courses offered thermographic certification to people with no medical background or formal medical education. For example, injured workers in California could under vocational rehabilitation laws to become certified as thermographic technicians and open their own labs.
These individuals needed an interpreting physician, so they found doctors who were willing to review and "read" the examinations performed, although few of those physicians themselves had training or certification in the field of thermography.
To avoid a deluge of poor quality and inadequate thermographic study as well as faulty interpretation of the studies, university based training programs must be established. With the electronic super highway in existence, a global network can be aimed at creating such standards and uniformity of study, worldwide.
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