What is a thermogram?

    A thermogram, or as it is also called, Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging, is a  FDA approved method of measuring patterns of heat emitted from the body,  In relation to breast cancer, a thermogram detects angiogenesis which is the growth of new blood vessels. These new blood vessels feed a tumor and they show up as higher temperature in breast tissue.

What is the difference between a thermogram and a mammogram?

    First, these are two entirely different methods of screening for breast cancer and thermograms in no way replace mammograms.  Mammograms detect structure or anatomy such as a tumor; thermograms detect a process or physiology like inflammation or angiogenesis.
Second, mammograms use radiation and compression; thermograms use neither – so there is no damage to fragile, cellular DNA.
    Third, thermograms view a larger area (all the way up parallel to and under the arm pit) which is one of the reasons why they have a better detection rate.
    Fourth and most importantly, because thermograms detect the growth of new blood cells, they detect cancerous conditions in the breast up to 8 years before a mammogram can detect a tumor.  So since no one knows how to prevent cancer, early detection seems to be your best chance for overcoming this dreaded disease.

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