Medical thermal imaging is an infrared technology used to detect abnormal vascular activity due to its sensitivity to variations of emitted heat. Such monitoring affords detection of even subtle theram changes that, although not independently diagnostic, may precede anatomical findings and prompt early investigation and prevention. Thermography does not see or diagnose cancer.
Abnormal breast physiology tends to have unusual blood vessel patterns that give off more heat than the surrounding tissue. These patterns of activity vary in intensity and distribution over each body region, represented by images with variation in colours. Changes of these patterns allow for the recognition of asymmetric, abnormal or suspicious thermal patterns - for example, the difference between the thermal pattern on each breast and may be recognised by the interpreter as abnormal physiology or function.
