Thermography, also known as digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI), is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses infrared cameras to produce images that display the surface temperature of an object or body part.
In recent years, it has gained popularity as a diagnostic tool for detecting breast cancer, inflammation, and other medical conditions.
I was introduced to it 10 years ago and for years recommended it to my patients. However, in the recent months, I dug more into the research, and couldn’t find data to support that it was effective at being used as a screening tool.
Sadly, this week I found out that my long-time patient who has been using thermography annually since 2019, was just diagnosed with breast cancer, luckily Stage 1.
Her most recent thermography report stated that both breasts had balanced heat patterns, and did not show any “new blood vessel growth”.
Despite its common use, thermography is not a valid imaging modality for several reasons.
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Thermography has not been proven to be an effective diagnostic tool. While proponents of thermography argue that it can detect cancer at an earlier stage than mammography, studies have shown that it is not a reliable screening method. In fact, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings against using thermography as a standalone diagnostic tool for breast cancer. According to the FDA, thermography should only be used as an adjunct to mammography and other diagnostic tools.
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Thermography has a high false-positive rate. False positives occur when the test results suggest that a person has a medical condition when they do not. Studies have shown that thermography has a high false-positive rate, which can lead to unnecessary medical procedures and anxiety for patients. (See below for a few studies)
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Thermography is not a standardized test. Unlike mammography and other medical imaging tests, there are no standardized protocols for performing and interpreting thermography. This lack of standardization can lead to inconsistent results and misdiagnosis.
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Thermography does not provide anatomical information. Unlike other imaging modalities, such as X-rays and CT scans, thermography only shows the surface temperature of an object or body part. This lack of anatomical information can make it difficult to accurately diagnose medical conditions.
In conclusion, while thermography may seem like an attractive alternative to mammography and other imaging tests, it is not a valid imaging modality for detecting medical conditions.
The lack of evidence supporting its efficacy, high false-positive rate, lack of standardization, and inability to provide anatomical information make it an unreliable diagnostic tool.
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\”Breast Cancer Research and Treatment\” in 2008, researchers found that thermography had a false-positive rate of 70%, which means that 7 out of 10 healthy women were wrongly identified as having breast cancer.
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Journal of the National Cancer Institute\” in 2008 reported that thermography had a false-positive rate of 61%, which means that over half of the women tested were wrongly identified as having breast cancer.
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\”European Journal of Cancer\” in 2018, the authors reported that the pooled false-positive rate was 16.9%, in a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on thermography for breast cancer screening published in the
It is worth noting that false-positive rates can vary depending on several factors, including the quality of the equipment used, the experience of the operator, and the population being screened.
However, these studies suggest that thermography has a higher false-positive rate compared to other imaging modalities like mammography, which has a false-positive rate of around 10%
While no screening tool is completely accurate, and many things come with pros/cons, weigh those out with your doctor and choose the best for you.
