There are a number of tools and techniques that can be used to monitor health in the body and alert health care professionals and individuals to areas of concern. Ideally, this information is gathered long before the issue is at a critical state. Older technology for monitoring breast health, such as mammography, was not of this ilk. New technology, however, such as thermography, can actually give the alert about changes in physiology before an actual problem arises. For those who are unfamiliar with breast thermography, this is a thermal imaging scan that detects changes in breast tissue. Any abormalities in the area, which could range from fibroid cysts to tumors, are detectible because of the change in blood flow that occurs in or around a problem area.
When visiting a thermography center, there are protocols that must be followed in order to ensure that the reading is accurate. Avoiding caffeine and antiperspirants, for example, is a necessary step to avoid inaccurate readings. Also, the body must be given time to adjust to the room's temperature before the exam begins. Another one of the benefits with this technology, and one that many women express appreciation for, is the fact that it is entirely hands off. The imaging scan does not involve any compression of the breast tissue either, unlike mammography, the client simply stands in front of the machine in order for the image to be taken.
Once a baseline image is taken, future images can be compared against that first image to determine whether there has been any undesirable changes taking place. When this technology first came out, some spoke out against it, saying that because the results could not be verified by other means of detection such as physical exam or mammogram, that it was unreliable. The reason for this is changes in blood flow happen significantly sooner than the formation of a cyst or tumor. And sometimes, depending on the patient and their body, these changes may not develop into anything of concern. What the technology does do is let people know that they are potentially at risk of developing issues and allowing them the chance to make the lifestyle changes that could help prevent any worsening of a condition. It can also be a means of monitoring changes in tissue up until the point where other exams would be able to provide a more definitive reading. Thermography is not meant to work alone, it is meant to be used in conjunction with other types of health monitoring. It simply provides non-invasive, early detection that can be used on a wide range of individuals, and unlike mammography, there is no need to wait until a certain age to use thermography.
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Breast thermography is a thermal imaging tool used in early detection of abnormalities and changes that could indicate a higher risk for developing conditions. This makes thermography a great tool in prevention and early detection of breast cancer as well, and in younger women, since unlike mammograms, there is no need to wait until a certain age.
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