Basics
Thermography is a radiation-free, easy, safe, and non-invasive way to detect, evaluate, and monitor a large number of injuries and conditions. Click here to learn more.
Thermography is extremely safe. There is no compression, no radiation, and is as easy as having your picture taken! The camera does not emit anything; instead, it measures the heat that YOU emit.
Pain, inflammation, and a long range of conditions! Click here to see some examples!
Thermograms can be performed whenever you feel it is necessary. Some individuals use thermography as often as weekly, monthly, or bimonthly to monitor different conditions and/or evaluate the effectiveness of various therapies. Yearly prevention scans (breast, half, or full body) are highly recommended. Your initial breast screen should always be followed-up at three months, and then just yearly thereafter. Those at high risk for breast disease may be recommended to have a scan every 3, 6, or 9 months. You can also have a scan anytime new a symptom arises or an acute issue develops!
No changes to your diet or medications are needed. For the most accurate results, follow these recommendations:
| It is best to avoid sun burns or tanning booths up to 1 week before your appointment. |
| 24 hours prior to your scan please avoid: - Heavy exercise - Acupuncture - Massage - Sauna or steam rooms |
| For 2 hours prior to your scan: - Avoid exercise and hot or cold showering. - Do not shave under your arms or use deodorant, skin creams or lotion in the areas to be imaged. - Avoid sun exposure the day of the test. - No heated seats - Avoid tobacco use - Avoid hot/cold drinks and foods |
The imaging process is fairly quick. We reserve plenty of time with each appointment to educate you on disease prevention techniques and walk you through your thermography images. We aren’t just here to snap your picture! We reserve 30 minutes for breast/1 region screenings, 45 minutes for half body screenings, and 60 minutes for full body screenings.
Thermography is FDA approved as an adjunctive screening to mammography. Our equipment is an FDA 510(k) cleared medical device specifically designed and built for medical and clinical uses.
There are hundreds and hundreds of studies that show the effectiveness of thermograms. A few studies conducted after the technology came out showed abnormalities that mammograms did not detect. These thermographic changes were only monitored for 5 years and then they were classified as false positives and the study ended. However, in recall studies, the women with abnormal thermograms went on to develop cancers in the exact areas of their thermographic abnormalities. These studies did NOT prove the ineffectiveness of thermography, but instead they proved the extreme effectiveness of thermography to show the physiologic changes that precede cancer development! Unfortunately, insurance companies decided to not cover thermography based on the original 5-year study. This has led to thermography falling ‘under the radar’ and mammograms being pushed to the extreme (though studies on mammograms have also showed their ineffectiveness). Many other countries use thermography as the gold standard in breast screenings.
The average turnaround time for reports is 1 to 2 days. Depending on your chosen method of delivery, reports can be emailed to you upon return from the thermologists, whereas, hard copies that are mailed to you may take a few days. Results can also be picked up in our office.
All women will have their scan performed by a female ACCT trained thermography technician.
Thermologists are medical doctors that are trained and board certified to interpret thermograms by the American College of Clinical Thermology (ACCT). MEND Thermography contracts with a group of 40+ highly experienced thermologists through the interpretation service: Electronic Medical Interpretation (EMI). Read more about this service here.
That depends on what’s going on with your body! You can’t beat a yearly full body scan—it gives you the full picture about what’s going on in your body. If you are coming in for a breast scan, the half body scan is preferred, as it can give you a deeper understanding about what may be contributing to any breast changes.
Yes, men are welcome to have thermograms; though it should be noted that the prostate and testes CANNOT be evaluated with thermography. All other areas can be imaged.
No. The thickness of the skull and hair interferes with the ability to thermographically assess the brain.
No. Unfortunately thermography is not sensitive enough to pick up early changes in the prostate or testes. It is not recommended to use thermography as a screening tool for the prostate or testes at this time. However, it is possible for physicians to recommend additional testing if specific findings are found in the lower abdominal/groin area.
Breast Thermography
Because thermography can show changes in the breast 8-10 years prior to tumor formation, it is best to establish a breast health baseline by your mid-20s. If stable after the establishment of your baseline, you may only need scans every few years to monitor for changes. After your 30th birthday, it is recommended to begin annual scans. Scans can be performed on all ages.
Each individual has a different thermographic pattern (‘thermal fingerprint’); therefore, It is very important to establish your baseline. Your first thermogram is considered your baseline. Cancer cells double after 90 days, so your 3-month follow-up looks for any thermal changes from your baseline that may indicate a developing breast disease. If you do not establish a baseline, we have no idea if your thermal pattern is normal or changing at the time of your first exam.
No, only a biopsy can diagnosis cancer.
Simply put, thermography looks at physiology, whereas, mammography looks at anatomy. With thermography, we can see changes in the breast occur 8-10 years before a tumor forms. A mammogram can only pickup a tumor once it is present. There are many other differences between the two, which you can view in our graphic.
Yes! Unlike mammography, dense breast tissue does not affect/hinder thermograms.
Yes! Thermography is great for individuals with implants. You can easily be scanned without any risk of rupturing the implants, and as a bonus, thermography can check the integrity of your implants!
Thermography is safe during pregnancy and directly following; however, due to the change in hormones during pregnancy/breastfeeding, breast scans are likely to show changes. It is best to have a breast scan at least 3 months after stopping lactation/breast feeding. Other areas of the body CAN be scanned safely and accurately.
Yes! Due to the change in hormones and trauma to breast tissues, it is recommended to wait at least 3 months after breast surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation to have a breast thermogram. Following a breast biopsy, please wait 1 month. Other areas of the body CAN be scanned safely and accurately.
Women at high risk for breast disease may be recommended to have a thermogram every 3, 6, or 9 months to closely monitor for thermographic changes.
Half & Full Body Scans
There are unlimited benefits to thermography. Half and full body scans are fantastic for prevention, as they can detect changes before you even suspect a problem! By comparing subsequent thermograms to previous thermograms, minute changes can be detected. This gives you ample time to take corrective actions before further problems result. Thermography can also help you monitor changes or examine the effectiveness of various therapies (for example, diet changes in a client showing pre-diabetes).
Pricing
| Initial/Yearly Breast Scan: $165 |
| 90-day Baseline Follow-up: $150 |
| CDT Scan: $160 |
| Half Body Scan: $300 |
| Full Body Scan: $395 |
| One Region Scan: $160 |
Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not cover thermography at this time. We will provide you with a detailed receipt that can be submitted to your flex spending accounts or health savings accounts.
Yes, for a few reasons! First, thermography can be used to show you problem areas before symptoms begin. This gives you time for early intervention, before more expensive complications result. Second, because thermography looks at physiology, we can easily narrow in on the key issues and get you the help you need. For example, a woman with chronic knee pain went through months of physical therapy, had X-rays and MRIs, and eventually had knee surgery. Unfortunately after all that, her pain persisted. As a last resort, the woman came in for a thermogram and quickly found that her pain was caused by a symptomatic varicose vein. By performing a thermogram first, she could have saved thousands in medical bills.
No refunds are issued for services rendered, gift cards, or prepaid packages.
If you are unable to keep your appointment, we ask that you notify our office at least 2 business days in advance. We would like to have the option of offering your appointment to others who may not have been able to schedule an appointment due to lack of availability. Please notify us at least two full business day before your scheduled appointment or you may be subject to a cancellation fee. Cancellation/no-show fees are as follows:
This fee must be paid in full before another appointment request will be permitted.
Scheduling
Book online by clicking here, or give us a call!
Yes! We offer group discounts for events (women’s nights, essential oil parties, church groups, etc.), so contact us for details.
Yes! Get us booked at your event or local practitioner’s office and receive a discount on your thermogram! We require a minimum of 4-8 appointments in order to travel, based on location. Contact us for details.
Absolutely not. Anyone is welcome to have a thermogram at any time! We often see clients that are referred to us from different practitioners. Don’t have anyone to follow-up with after your thermogram? We can refer you based on your needs!