Thermal Imaging - Frequently Asked Questions
- At what age should women consider having DITI breast screening?
- Do I need to be referred by my doctor?
- Are there any contra-indications to having DITI?
- Is it safe to have DITI during pregnancy and breast feeding?
- Why do I need a 3 month follow up breast scan, and how often thereafter?
- What preparation is needed before having the DITI?
- What happens on the day of the scan?
- What help can you offer if my breast scan report looks suspicious?
- Do Thermal Imaging results ever contradict other test results?
- I have a family history of breast cancer – are there other risk factors and would Thermal Imaging be useful?
- Why is this test not more widely used in hospitals?
- Is “cold stress” testing necessary for Thermal Imaging? What is the cost for a breast Thermal Image scan?
- Will private insurance cover for this test?
- Is there any point in me having breast DITI if I have had breast cancer?
- If my thermal breast scan comes back as normal does that mean I do not have cancer?
- How soon after radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery can I have a DITI scan?
- How useful is it to have full body scan?
At what age should women consider having DITI breast screening?
Starting a breast screening programme as early as 20 years old is truly preventative, providing a stable baseline against which to measure any subtle changes and the chance to take action at the earliest opportunity.
Young women with dense breast tissue are the most difficult to evaluate using breast palpation, mammography and ultrasound examinations, but have a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer. Since most breast cancers can take 15 years to evolve and do not become palpable until they are greater than 1cm in size, women need reliable testing that ideally starts before the cancer is initially forming.
Whatever age you start, thermal imaging provides a baseline analysis and useful additional information, such as the presence of lymph congestion (link to lymph section), which cannot be detected through other means of testing.
Do I need to be referred by my doctor?
It is not necessary to be referred by your doctor, although many practitioners are now recognising the importance of DITI as a valuable method of testing and monitoring, and are staring to refer patients for Thermal Imaging.
All you need to do is call us on 020 7580 7537 to make your appointment
Are there any contra-indications to having DITI?
There are no contra-indications to having Thermal Imaging - the procedure is non-invasive, non-contact and with no radiation.
Is it safe to have DITI during pregnancy and breast feeding?
Although Thermal scans are safe during pregnancy (as they are radiation free and non-invasive), breast images will be affected by the hormonal changes within about 48 hours of conception and will not return to a stable thermal fingerprint until about 3 months after the end of lactation. After this point, Thermal scans can resume as normal.
If you have further queries regarding pregnancy and Thermal scanning please consult our clinic staff.
Why do I need a 3 month follow up breast scan, and how often thereafter?
You will be asked to attend a 3 month follow up after your first scan, which is essential to establish a baseline, and will normally be arranged in advance with you when you attend for your first scan.
This follow up scan is heavily discounted provided that it is taken between 3 – 5 months after your original scan. Normal charges will apply to follow up scans not taken within this timescale.
It is recommended that you attend annually thereafter, unless there are any suspicious findings in your report when it may be suggested that you attend sooner to monitor any change.
What preparation is needed before having the DITI?
- You will be asked to complete a questionnaire prior to the scan
- Avoid any body work, massage or acupuncture on the upper body for 4 hours prior to your appointment.
- Avoid caffeine or smoking for 3 hours prior to screening.
- Do not consume any hot food or drink for 3 hours before the scan
- Do not wax your underarms for 48 hours before the scan (shaving is fine as long as the skin is not inflamed)
- Do not drink alcohol on the day of the scan
- Do not use any deodorants, lotions or hormone creams on the upper body on the day of your scan.
- Do not take a hot shower and avoid sunbathing on the day of your scan. Postpone your scan for 5 days if you have been sun burnt.
- No radiation or surgery including biopsies for 3 to 4 months before having a thermal scan.
- Do not take anti-inflammatory or anti-histamines on the day of your appointment.
- Avoid scratching or rubbing the chest or breast area on the day of your scan
What happens on the day of the scan?
Preparation: After completing our thermal scan questionnaire you will be directed to a private room where our female Thermographer will confirm the details of your case history with you. You may bring a friend or relative with you as a chaperone
Scanning: You will be asked to undress to the waist and sit on a stool, behind a screen for privacy, about 3 feet in front of the camera. Your breasts will need to cool to room temperature for at least 5 minutes. During this time the Thermographer will prepare the camera settings and run through the procedure with you.
Once your body temperature has stabilized, you will be asked to rest your hands behind your head while 6 different views are taken of your breasts.
Breast Examination (Optional): For those of you who would like some help or advice in self breast examinations, our thermographer is more than happy to offer a breast examination and show you how to perform this yourself.
At the end of the session you will have an opportunity to look at your pictures briefly.
Reporting: Your Thermal breast scans will be carefully read and reported by a team of medical Doctors who are specially trained in Thermal Image reporting.
Your report and images will normally be sent to you within 7 to 10 days of your scan.
What help can you offer if my breast scan report looks suspicious?
There are many things that one can do in this situation, and it is best done under the supervision of Dr Daya who can help and advise the most appropriate course of action for your specific case.
Our practitioners at the Wholistic Medical Centre specialise in identifying the starting point & important factors that need to be addressed. Working in a structured & systematic way through the wholistic breast health journey (link), can help to reverse the disease process with early detection & early intervention.
Do Thermal Imaging results ever contradict other test results?
It is possible to get a positive finding with DITI that has not shown up with conventional methods of testing which measure physical, structural abnormalities including areas of calcification. Unlike mammograms, DITI is measuring the degree of increased heat activity feeding a localised suspicious area that may not have yet manifested into a physical abnormality.
Conversely it is possible that a positive finding with conventional testing may not show as positive with DITI. In other words, you could have an obvious palpable lump on breast examination and mammography but with DITI this lump appears “quiet” and nicely shielded off with no increase in vascularity or blood flow to this area.
It is for this very reason that Thermal Imaging is recommended alongside Breast Ultrasound & /or mammography to determine any abnormalities from all dimensions.
At this stage a decision has to be made whether or not a fine needle biopsy is the most appropriate next step especially to confirm a diagnosis or if further evaluation, such as with the bio meridian testing (link) or functional biochemistry, (link) can identify and correct any imbalances including lymph congestion & estrogen dominance, which may be connected with the findings.
I have a family history of breast cancer – are there other risk factors and would Thermal Imaging be useful?
An abnormal infrared thermal image is the single most important marker of high risk for developing breast cancer, much more so than a family history of breast cancer
In addition to a family history of breast cancer, there are other important risk factors to be considered such as basic diet & lifestyle, lymph congestion, a leaky gut, toxic metals (mercury fillings), hormone imbalances including estrogen dominance & under active thyroid, emotional issues & attitudes.
All of these risk factors can be tested for and treated with medical supervision & guidance as part of the all encompassing Wholistic breast health journey.
The family history can be best addressed with the AIM Program which is able to clear any hereditary imbalances.
Why is this test not more widely used in hospitals?
Most health care providers have been trained in detecting and treating tumours in their full blown physical manifestation and because there are so many people in the late stages, these are the ones who need their attention most.
Unfortunately, such detection of early breast changes and intervention is not their prime focus. Most are not even aware of Thermal Imaging or its benefits but this too will change as DITI inevitably becomes more widely known and used as an “exciting advance in breast cancer detection”.
Is “cold stress” testing necessary for Breast Thermal Imaging?
Cold stress is a test of sympathetic function which has good uses in many areas of medicine and is the definitive diagnosis. Cold stressing is a test to measure sympathetic function. It is a useful test for a number of nerve related conditions including Repetitive Strain Disorder. Protocols used with the Meditherm system for breast screening do not require routine cold stressing but it may be requested by a referring physician or reading thermologist.
What is the cost for a breast Thermal Image scan?
All thermal imaging breast scans are £195, with the exception of the 3 month follow up scan, which is heavily discounted to £75 if booked within 120 days of the first scan.
Will private insurance cover for this test?
There are some UK based Health insurance companies such as Pru Health that are forward thinking in encouraging their clients to be proactive regarding their health care & therefore do cover for Thermal Imaging.
Most International Health Insurance companies such as BUPA International or Allianz Worldwide Care also cover for Thermal Imaging. It is therefore best to check first with your Insurance provider.
Is there any point in me having breast DITI if I have had breast cancer?
Since thermal imaging is able to detect very subtle changes, especially that of lymph congestion, more so than can be detected through palpation and mammography, it is an invaluable tool to monitor change in the breasts at the earliest stage of development.
Many women and men who have had breast cancer find it a useful reassurance that the breast tissue remains stable post surgery, and where changes are noted, such as lymph congestion, it often provides the opportunity to take non invasive action to correct the problem.
If my thermal breast scan comes back as normal does that mean I do not have cancer?
If it is normal it does not mean you do not have cancer as breast cancer can only be confirmed as a diagnosis by tissue biopsy.
However breast thermography can eliminate the need for unnecessary biopsies and the associated emotional suffering, through its capability of detecting other important underlying abnormalities such lymph congestion & estrogen dominance at a very early stage
Even when a breast scan report comes back as normal it is recommended to have the Bio Meridian full body scan to detect & address important underlying & related imbalances to encourage a state of good health.
How soon after radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery can I have a DITI scan?
We advise waiting 3 months after radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery to allow the related heat patterns and inflammation to subside.
How useful is it to have full body Thermal scan?
A full body thermal scan is ideal for detecting surface heat and can indicate potential problems such as carotid artery inflammation, thyroid imbalance, dental issues, heart disease etc.
Thermal Imaging however is not the most appropriate test for assessing abdominal organ function or the prostate.
For a more in depth evaluation we recommend the full body Bio Meridian Screening which assesses and identifies appropriate remedies for the whole body function including, toxic load, organ pressure, lymph congestion, leaky gut, liver function, hormone status as well as being able to scan all the organs in the body individually for imbalance of function on an energetic level.
