|
|
|
Breast Cancer- There Is A Way Through Your Fears
Have you had breast cancer in the past, or are you undergoing treatments now? Then SoulCollage™ is a practice that you will find immensely helpful. Get in touch with the voices inside of you that have something to say about your cancer. Open...
How Your Smoking Affects Your Loved Ones
Your cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking doesn't only have an affect on your health. The U.S. Surgeon General's report "The Health Consequences of Smoking," released in 2004, states it has been proven that smoking (or living with a person who...
The Immune System: Don't Leave Home Without It
The immune system: Don't leave home without it.
Imagine your reaction when you open a fortune cookie and it reads, "Psychics will lead dogs to your body." Sort of unnerving, huh? It is, if you don't first roll over in gut-busting laughter. But,...
Understanding Breast Cancer Staging.
N.B This topic will make you understand why it is important to do monthly breast exam. The earlier the cancer is detected, the better the prognosis. Breast cancer staging To stage cancer, the American Joint Committee on Cancer, first places the...
Why Most Overweight People Should Lose Weight Gradually.
People who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop
heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes,
gallbladder disease, and joint pain caused by excess uric acid
(gout). Excess weight can also cause interrupted breathing
during...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Screening For Breast Cancer With No Compression And No Radiation
Who would have thought that a technology for detecting breast cancer used today actually had its' roots dating back to 480 B.C.? Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) is a fairly new technology that represents a practice that was once used by Hippocrates. This technology is based on a technique that Hippocrates would use as he spread mud over his patients and then watched to see which areas dried first. It was in those places on the body that could show a disease.
It wasn't until 1957 that the first modern application of thermography came into existence when a Canadian doctor discovered that the skin temperature over a breast tumor was higher than that of healthy tissue. By 1982, the Food and Drug Administration approved thermography and classified it as an additional diagnostic tool for the detection of breast cancer. However, DITI was introduced as a diagnostic tool before strict protocols were established for both the technicians who performed the scans and the doctors who interpreted the scans. Shortly after its initial beginnings, DITI fell out of favor as a diagnostic tool in the medical community.
There are now stringent protocols both for testing and interpreting. Perhaps due to these guidelines, thermography (as with all digital technology) has exploded in its technique and capabilities. Thermal cameras detect heat given off by the body and display it as a picture on a computer monitor. These images are unique to the person and they remain stable over time. It is because of these characteristics that thermal imaging is a valuable and effective screening tool to determine changes that could point to trouble down the road. As we all know, early cancer detection is important to survival.
Another advantage is that, unlike
mammography, there is no radiation and no compression of the breast; two significant reasons some women refuse mammography. Thermography measures temperature changes in the body. Tumors create their own blood vessels. Where there are more blood vessels, there is more heat. It is in these areas on the body that the camera detects changes in heat or temperature.
Medical doctors who interpret the breast scans are board certified thermologists.
Thermography can be utilized by women of all ages. It is not limited by breast density and is ideal for women who have had cosmetic or reconstructive surgery. Cancer typically has a 15 year life span from onset to death. Ideally, women should begin thermographic screenings by age 25. A woman diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 possibly had the cancer as early as age 30. Since most women do not have a mammogram until age 40, there is a critical time period from age 25 to 39 that thermography could be extremely beneficial.
Thermography does not replace mammography. However, it is an additional tool that is available to women. By combining both technologies, the detection rate increases to 95-98%, surpassing either technology as a stand-alone therapy.
Thermographic screening is not covered by most insurance companies but is surprisingly affordable for most people. For more information or to find a certified clinic in your area, go to www.proactivehealthonline.com.
About the Author
Brenda Witt is co-owner of Proactive Health Solutions in Southern California. She has worked in the medical field for 9 years and is now an American College of Clinical Thermology (ACCT) certified thermographer in the Orange County area. To contact Brenda, email her at brenda@proactivehealthonline.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|