I realize your message is old but I am going to reply, regardless. For more information, view my upcoming website www.intramedhs.com in about a week. Medical thermal imaging (thermography, DITI) uses a medical thermal camera to capture images of particular areas of the body and, primarily, show inconsistencies in blood patterns (simplified version). There is a large amount of mis-information on the web regarding thermal imaging, so be sure to use only the information on my site or the ACCT.
On the breast, DITI is best used as a supplement to mammogram, etc. Mammos and ultrasounds are strictly anatomical and therefore can only view a tumor or mass after it has been formed. Because of angiogenesis (blood supply formation to the mass), DITI can possibly pick up a tumor 5-10 years prior to its anatomical formation. HOWEVER, recent studies show that it is possible for the blood supply to then regress to a "normal" state, which means that DITI may not ALWAYS detect a tumor.
As such, DITI is a diagnostic TOOL, much like mammograms and sonograms. The large benefits are:
1. the possibility of early detection/intervention
2. the ability to see areas that traditional methods cannot capture (chest wall, armpits), where breast tissue exists
3. it works very well with dense breast tissue, implants, small breasts, and other situations where traditional methods might not work as well
4. it is completely safe and non-invasive, using only heat patterns and requiring little or no patient touch
5. as such, it is also fast (15 minutes for a full breast scan) and inexpensive (about $150 - $200)
Although the cameras/procedures are FDA-approved, bear in mind that there is no government regulation of specific protocol or certification. There are spawns of colleges and independent practitioners who practice but are not bound to the higher standards outlined by the American College of Clinical Thermography (ACCT). Therefore, it is important to ensure that the practitioner is ACCT certified, to ensure that scans are being done using the most recent protocols (i.e. using a medical-grade camera rather than industry-grade or home inspection camera, no need for "acclimation", and many more reasons) and, most importantly, that scans are being computer-read and interpreted only by licensed physicians, not chiropractors or other non-physicians (note: chiropractors and other technicians are licensed to PERFORM the scans but the interpretations should be made only by an MD or DO).
Like I said, I will soon have a wealth of information available on my website. Feel free to check it out and email me with any questions.