Is thermography reliable for detecting breast cancer?

Thermography is not a reliable method for detecting breast cancer. Although it is promoted in some circles as an alternative to mammography, there is insufficient scientific evidence to recommend thermography as an effective screening method for breast cancer.

Thermography is a technique that measures the temperature of the skin surface using infrared cameras. The idea behind thermography is that cancerous tumors have increased blood flow and metabolic activity, which can lead to a higher temperature of the skin surface over the tumor.

Thermography is not sensitive enough to detect smaller tumors or tumors deep within the breast tissue. It can also give false positive or false negative results, which can lead to incorrect diagnoses. Mammography has been shown to be more effective in detecting early breast cancer because it uses x-rays to detect changes in breast tissue that are not yet palpable or visible.

Major medical organizations, such as the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), do not recommend thermography as a replacement for mammography. In fact, the FDA has issued warnings against using thermography as a primary screening method for breast cancer due to its limited reliability.

Mammography is the standard screening method for breast cancer because of its proven effectiveness in detecting tumors early, which is essential for successful treatment.

Source: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/breast-cancer-screening-thermogram-no-substitute-mammogram

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2024-11-08 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2024