Sophisticated cameras and computer systems are used to measure heat from the surface of the breast and produce an image that can be evaluated for abnormalities. Alterations in these images are caused when cellular changes increase blood flow, thus warming the breast. Because of Thermography's extreme sensitivity, these changes may be among the earliest signs of pre-cancerous and/or cancerous tissue formation.

Hotter temperatures show up as reds, oranges and yellows and those would be a cause for concern. Thermal Imaging is able to pin-point precisely where a mass is forming for additional testing. Seeing abnormal heat changes produced by diseased breast tissue allows for extremely early detection, up to 10 years before any other procedure that a cancer may be forming.

It takes 8-10 years for a dime-size tumor to grow. Breast thermography has been shown to find signs of pre-cancerous tissue, or early stage cancers that are to small to be found by physical exam or mammography, with no use of radiation so patients can be monitored as often as necessary.

Difficulties in reading mammograms can occur in women who are on hormone replacement, nursing, or have fibrocystic, large, dense, or enhanced breast. These types of Breast differences do not cause difficulty in reading infrared scans.

A positive infrared image may indicate the presence of many different breast diseases such as mastitis, benign tumors, fibrocystic breast disease, cancer and others. In patients without cancer, the examination results are used to indicate the level of possible future cancer risk. This gives a woman time to take a pro-active approach to her breast health by initiating anti-carcinogenic lifestyle modifications and decreasing as many known risk factors as possible. However, if cancer is suspected, this information is used to direct further examinations and tests to insure prompt treatment.