Frequently Asked Questions

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Is Digital Infrared Imaging (breast thermography) safe?

The procedure is completely safe.

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Is Digital Infrared Imaging costly?

No, DII of the breast is very reasonable considering the sophistication of the technology involved. However, costs do vary depending upon the location of the imaging lab and if special studies need to be performed. Your report will be mailed to you within two weeks. If you are concerned and wish to have your results quickly, you may arrange this with our office for an additional fee.

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Will my insurance cover the test?

You might want to ask your insurance for reimbursement. We take cash and credit card.

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Does Digital Infrared Imaging replace mammograms?

Absolutely not! However, do mammograms replace DII? The answer to this is also a resounding no; the two tests complement each other. DII is to be used in addition to mammography as part of a woman’s regular breast health care. The consensus among health care experts is that no one procedure or method of imaging is solely adequate for breast cancer screening. The false negative and positive rates for currently used examination tests (including DII) are too high for the procedures to be used alone. However, DII may pick up thermal markers that may indicate the risk of cancers missed by other tests. A positive infrared image is also the single most important marker of high risk for developing breast cancer. It is DII’s unique ability to monitor the abnormal temperature (physiological) changes produced by pathological breast tissue that allows for extremely early detection. Since it has been determined that 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer, we should use every means possible to detect these tumors when there is the greatest chance for survival. Adding these tests together increases the chance for early detection.

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Is Digital Infrared Imaging an approved procedure?

Yes, in 1982 DII was approved by the FDA as a breast imaging procedure to be used in addition to other imaging tests and/or examination procedures.

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Who is qualified to take and interpret Digital Infrared Images?

Interpretation of thermographic images should only be made by health care providers who are clinically trained to diagnose (MD, DC, DO) and hold credentials as Board Certified Clinical Thermographers from a recognized organization. Offices wishing to offer DII, with the images sent for outside interpretation, should have staff certified as a Thermographic Technician by one of the same organizations. See About Our Center.

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I’ve been told that a cold-challenge must be done, is this true?

The use of the cold-challenge (placing the patient’s hands in ice-water or using ice packs placed on the mid-back) was stopped in the late 1980’s. The research at the time showed that using the cold-challenge did not increase the sensitivity or specificity of breast thermography. What we are finding is that some offices have websites telling women that they should never go to any office that is not doing the cold-challenge. We have no idea why they are doing this as this is simply false information. Fortunately, the number of offices doing this is decreasing. However, back in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s the problem was so bad that Dr. William Hobbins (the leading expert in breast thermography) encouraged our clinic director to review his database of cold-challenges and present a paper at the yearly symposium of the American Academy of Thermology (AAT). Dr. Hobbins and other experts in this field were concerned that these offices were claiming that experts in this field were not performing breast thermography correctly. The paper went on to be presented at the international conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. The end result was acceptance of the paper for peer-review and publication (click here or go to Medline/PubMed). As recent as 2013, the AAT formed a committee that included our clinic director, along with Dr. William Hobbins and a group of experts in this field, to review the current status of breast thermography and create a internationally peer-reviewed standards and guidelines document. With regard to the cold-challenge, a review of the literature along with a consensus among the experts determined that the cold-challenge did not improve the sensitivity or specificity of breast thermography; and as such, its use was not necessary to provide accurate medical infrared imaging of the breast.

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What other centers perform Digital Infrared Imaging?

Because of the special training, technical expertise, and unique clinical environmental needs necessary to perform DII, many centers do not have this technology as of yet. Currently, independent digital infrared imaging centers and highly specialized independent breast clinics are the most common place to find this technology.

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Can you provide my organization with a speaker?

Yes, we certainly can. Simply contact us with a description of your organization (university, women’s group, service club, etc.), and its location, and we would be glad to reply. Since we are frequently asked to speak on this important issue, please give us ample notice before the lecture in order for us to provide a speaker for you.