Welcome to Redding Thermography

Click for brief video describing the role of breast thermography in early detection.

This site provides information about the role of breast thermography in risk assessment, prevention, and early detection of breast cancer. Our mission is to empower women to be pro-active regarding their breast health. We strive to provide the highest quality imaging services to aid women and their health care providers in determining the necessity for further evaluation, and subsequent prevention and/or treatment.

As the premier certified digital infrared imaging center in Shasta County, we are proud to offer our patients state-of-the-art computerized image processing, and interpretation by a highly experienced staff.

The following illustrates the role of thermography (also called thermal imaging, digital infrared imaging, medical infrared imaging, and computerized infrared imaging) in prevention and early detection of breast cancer, and as a possible method of monitoring progress of newly proposed cancer treatments. 

	Thermography has the ability to warn women up to 10 years before any other procedure that a cancer may be forming, thus allowing for prompt and timely treatment.

Current statistics reveal that 1 in 8 women will develop invasive cancer, based of a life expectancy of 85 years (1).  If treated in the earliest stages, breast cancer cure rates greater than 95% are possible (3,5). The combined use of thermography, physical exams, and properly executed self-exams provide women with a 98% detection rate of all early stage cancers (5). Studies also reveal up to 61% increase in survival rates when thermography is added to a women's regular breast check-ups (5). 

	An abnormal thermogram is the single most important marker of high risk for developing future breast cancer, 10 times more significant than a family history of the disease (6).

Women with a family history are at a greater risk for getting breast cancer, but 80% of women who get breast cancer have NO family history of the disease (1). Thermography provides much needed individual breast cancer risk assessment. Certain thermographic risk markers can warn a woman that she needs to be vigilant in monitoring her breast health.  This gives her time to make changes to lower as many risk factors as possible and initiate a more anti-carcinogenic lifestyle.

	Breast thermography plays an unprecedented  role in breast cancer prevention due to its ability to detect increased estrogen activity in the breasts.

The single greatest risk factor for developing breast cancer is a woman's lifetime exposure of the breasts to estrogen. It has been determined that a woman can have up to 50 times more estrogen in her breast tissue than her blood levels indicate (5). With the help of her doctor, a woman make changes to balance her hormone levels and therefore lower her risk. Doctors can also use thermography before and after initiating any treatment that affects breast physiology, such as chemoprevention (Tamoxifin), chemotherapy, and HRT.

Breast cancer is also the number one cause of death of women aged 22 to 59 (1). Breast cancers in younger women are usually more aggressive and have poorer survival rates. Mammography is difficult to interpret for pre-menopausal women due to the density of the breast.

	Breast thermography offers women under 40 an accurate, non-invasive method of monitoring their breast health, beginning with baseline screening at age 20.

In addition, women who are on hormonal replacement therapy, or those with large breasts, fibrocystic breasts, or breast enhancements cause reading difficulties for mammograms. Thermography interpretation is not hindered by these situations and is safe for women who are pregnant. But keep in mind that thermography is beneficial for women of all ages and has an average accuracy rate of 90%.

According to a study published in the January 2003 publication of the American Journal of Radiology, thermography was determined to be a safe, noninvasive, and valuable adjunct to mammography in determining whether a lesion was benign or malignant (7). DII was found to have a 97% sensitivity for detecting breast cancer in women who had a suspicious mammogram requiring a biopsy (7). Thermography offers women and their health care providers additional beneficial information when a mammogram is normal, equivocal, or when considering the need for a biopsy.

Unlike technologies such as mammography, MRI, CT, ultrasound, or PET scans which detect a the presence of an existing tumor, breast thermography has the ability to give a warning signal far in advance of invasive tumor growth. Recent information suggests that DII may also help to monitor the effects of some of the newly proposed and deemed "promising" antiangiogenic cancer treatments (2,3). It is clear that breast thermography offers women information that no other testing procedure can provide.

Our Staff

Michelle R. Hodge, DC, CTT
Doctor of Chiropractic
Certified Thermographic Technician
Member: International Academy of Clinical Thermology

William Amalu, DC, DABCT, DIACT, FIACT
Board Certified Clinical Thermologist
Diplomat, International Academy of Clinical Thermology
Diplomat, American Board of Clinical Thermology
Diplomat, American Board of Medical Infrared Imaging
President: International Academy of Clinical Thermology

Dr. Amalu brings over a decade of thermal imaging experience to patient care. In partnership with William Hobbins, MD, FACS, FABCT, of Thermal Image Analysis, our center provides over 40 years of clinical excellence in thermographic analysis and interpretation. As the President of the International Academy of Clinical Thermology, Dr. Amalu instructs physicians worldwide on the science and interpretation of thermal imaging.

	If your organization would like to be provided with a speaker to present a formal lecture on the subject of Medical Infrared Imaging, please provide sufficient notice when contacting our office.

References:

1. ACS Breast Cancer Guidelines and Statistics, 2005-2006.

2. Ahlgren P., M.D., et al. "Is it Time to Reassess the value of Infrared Imaging?" Primary Care and Cancer (NCI) 18.2 (1988).

3. Gamigami P., M.D. Atlas of Mammography; New Early Signs of Breast Cancer. Blackwell Science, 1996.

4. Gautherie M., Ph.D. "Thermobiological Assessment of Benign and Malignant Breast Diseases."Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol 147. 8 (1983): 861-869.

5. Jefcoate, C.R., et al. Chapter 5; "Tissue Specific Synthesis and Oxidative Metabolism of Estrogens." Journal of the National Cancer Institute 27 (2000): 95-112.

6. Haehnel P., M.D., et.al. "Long-Term Assessment of Breast Cancer Risk by Thermal Imaging." Biomedical Thermology (1980): 279-301.

7. Parisky Y. R., et al. "Efficacy of Computerized Infrared Imaging Analysis to Evaluate Mammographically Suspicious Lesions." American Journal of Radiology Jan. 2003: 263-269.