Thermography Explained by Nationally Recognized Expert

Award-Winning Author & Board Certified Surgeon Dr. Christine Horner

by June Drennon

If you are considering thermography, it is important to understand that all thermography is not the same; one of the most important things to consider is the doctor who interprets the reports. Tampa Bay Thermography is proud to have Dr. Christine Horner interpreting all of their reports. She is highly trained in Western medicine, a board-certified general surgeon and plastic surgeon, a nationally recognized expert in natural and preventative health, and author of two award-winning books. She is available for consultation when a report indicates there is a need for breast health improvement. There is a large margin between healthy and cancer, and she is an excellent source for finding the way to maximum health to avoid a diagnosis in the future. Below is an explanation of thermography by Dr. Horner about how you might benefit from the information gained in a thermography scan.

“Thermography is an infrared picture of the body that measures heat and blood vessel patterns. It is able to pick up inflammation, infections and functional concerns throughout the body that may not be otherwise evident. It can be particularly helpful for evaluating the health of the breasts. Unlike all of the technologies that are currently available for evaluating the breasts (mammography, MRI and ultrasound), thermography shines as a preventative tool rather than screening for breast cancer.

“Thermography is a physiological test that evaluates the health of the breast. It does not mine for cancer. It does not show the anatomy, but rather the physiology. Thermography is able to pick up physiological changes as early as five to ten years before a tumor actually develops. The beauty of finding these changes early is that simple diet, lifestyle changes and supplements can reverse those patterns usually very quickly and stop the progression to cancer.

“What we have learned about all the tests used for breast evaluation—mammography, MRI, ultrasound and thermography—is that no test is perfect. None should be used as a stand-alone test. We have learned this the hard way by using mammography as the “gold standard” and stand-alone test for decades. But long-term studies have shown that the value of mammography has been highly overrated, and its drawbacks and shortcomings highly underrated. In fact, mammography has been shown to miss up to 50 percent of tumors, especially in women with dense breasts. Its specificity is even worse by identifying “suspicious” areas that require a biopsy, leading to unnecessary biopsies 80 percent of the time! The other tests can all miss tumors as well.

“Research has concluded that multiple tests need to be done to obtain the best sensitivity and specificity. That’s why in addition to thermography, I always recommend an anatomical test also be done, generally an ultrasound along with a physical examination. If there are any symptoms such as lumps, further investigation must always be done including a biopsy for a tissue diagnosis.”

For more information on Christine Horner, MD, visit DrChristineHorner.com.

June Drennon, certified clinical thermographer since 2008, is passionate about working with men and women who care about the state of their health and believe that prevention is better than early detection. Tampa Bay Thermography offers services at many locations throughout the Tampa Bay and Central Florida areas. For more information and appointments, call 727-729-2711, email [email protected] or visit TampaBayThermography.com.