New Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging Helps Women Make Difficult Breast Cancer Decisions; Clinical Thermography of Colorado Offers Consumers New Options and Earliest Notice of Breast Abnormalities.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 5, 2003 "The experience exceeded all of my expectations, was completely comfortable, and my insurance reimbursed me for the procedure." --Susie Seel seel tr.v. seeled, seel·ing, seels To stitch closed the eyes of (a falcon). [Middle English silen, from Old French cillier, from Medieval Latin , Denver Clinical Thermography thermography (thûr'mŏg`rəfē), contact photocopying process that produces a direct positive image and in which infrared rays are used to expose the copy paper. of Colorado (CTC CTC - Cornell Theory Center ), a breast-screening center dedicated to helping healthcare professionals and consumers discover and monitor breast health concerns, contributes to saving lives of area women forced to deal with breast cancer. Lauded as a powerful disease and breast cancer screening This article or section recently underwent a major revision or rewrite and needs further review. You can help! X-ray mammography Mammography is still the modality of choice for screening of early breast cancer, since it is relatively fast, reasonably accurate, and option, local consumers say that Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (D.I.T.I.) has afforded them the earliest possible detection of disease--long before traditional tests discover abnormalities. "The thermogram thermogram /ther·mo·gram/ (ther´mo-gram) 1. a graphic record of temperature variations. 2. the visual record obtained by thermography. ther·mo·gram n. scan was what I based my decision on to have both of my breasts removed. The mammogram mammogram /mam·mo·gram/ (mam´o-gram) a radiograph of the breast. mam·mo·gram n. An x-ray image of the breast produced by mammography. showed nothing. The thermogram not only showed the process of cancer in my left breast," says Jane Strothman of Berthoud, Colo., "it showed increased activity in my right breast as well. Thermography is absolutely valid--it is a powerful tool for dealing with disease. My surgeon and my oncologist both state that the thermogram matched what they found out with the pathology report." D.I.T.I. is a 15-minute, non-invasive, image-screening procedure that detects the subtle physiologic changes that accompany breast pathology, whether it is cancer, fibrocystic disease fibrocystic disease, n See disease, fibrocystic. fibrocystic disease Chronic cystic mastitis, fibrocystic disease Surgical pathology A common benign disease of the ♀ breast, first seen circa age 40, which presents as , an infection or a vascular disease. In the early stages of breast cancer, for example, a tumor develops additional capillaries to supply blood, a process that can be picked up in its earliest stages by a thermogram. Once the screening is complete, qualified doctors read the images and provide a report, often as quickly as 24 hours later. When D.I.T.I. is used in conjunction with mammography mammography, diagnostic procedure that uses low-dose X rays to detect abnormalities in the breasts. The early diagnosis of breast cancer made possible by the routine use of mammography for screening women increases a woman's treatment alternatives and improves her , the likelihood of early detection and treatment options increases dramatically. "Thermography is the piece of information I was seeking that was missing in my personal breast health care," says J. Emerita e·mer·i·ta adj. Retired but retaining an honorary title corresponding to that held immediately before retirement. Used of a woman: a professor emerita. n. pl. Romero-Anderson of Colorado Springs, Colo. "Thermography is a future risk indicator--a tool that can detect the potential for a cancer to form--so there's no need to wait until something actually happens. Combined with a mammogram, thermography is critical to getting the absolute best information possible." In addition to being FDA-approved and American Medical Association American Medical Association (AMA), professional physicians' organization (founded 1847). Its goals are to protect the interests of American physicians, advance public health, and support the growth of medical science. approved, qualified doctors interpret all of CTC's breast-screening results, and CTC provides individualized in·di·vid·u·al·ize tr.v. in·di·vid·u·al·ized, in·di·vid·u·al·iz·ing, in·di·vid·u·al·iz·es 1. To give individuality to. 2. To consider or treat individually; particularize. 3. attention and emotional support to its clients. CTC's staff is comprised of Certified Clinical Thermographers who are also registered nurses and who are qualified to explain clinical reports and guide patients through treatment options. In individual cases, insurance covers the screening. D.I.T.I is very comfortable--there's no clinician, physician or instrument contact--and there is absolutely no radiation involved. Women at almost any stage of their lives can benefit from the information derived from a thermogram, and thermograms are particularly useful in continuing to monitor a previously diagnosed condition. After a lumpectomy Lumpectomy Definition A lumpectomy is a type of surgery used to treat breast cancer. It is considered "breast-conserving" surgery because in a lumpectomy, only the malignant tumor and a surrounding margin of normal breast tissue are , Shawn Winchester of Littleton, Colo., relies upon thermography to monitor her breast health. "I depend upon thermography to monitor my breast health and healing process," she says. "With thermography it is possible to monitor abnormal processes that could indicate new tumor growth. I will continue to use thermography to maximize my options should another cancer develop." Additional Resources "Functional Infrared Imaging of the Breast" http://www.villemariemed.com/papersE/functionalinfrared.htm "Breast Thermography and Cancer Risk Prediction" Gautherie, M., and Gros, C.M., 1980, Cancer 45, pp.51-56 Meditherm Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging http://www.meditherm.com/ About Clinical Thermography of Colorado Clinical Thermography of Colorado (CTC) is a clinical thermographic breast-screening center that helps healthcare professionals and consumers discover and monitor breast health concerns, providing evaluation of physiological processes to identify potential pathology. CTC uses state-of-the-art digital infrared thermal imaging, which provides a completely non-invasive and safe clinical imaging procedure for detecting and monitoring disease at its earliest stages. Contact CTC at 720/493-5506 or toll-free, 866/493-5506 in Englewood. CTC can also be reached at 719/260-0095 in Colorado Springs. Visit their Web site at http://www.thermographyofcolorado.com. How accurate is a thermograph image when it is done and the results are all<br>red indicators?? |
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