Cancerous tumors produce a chemical, which actually promotes the development of blood vessels supplying the area where the tumor resides. Also, normal blood vessels that are under the control of the sympathetic nervous system are essentially paralyzed, causing an increase in size of the blood vessel. The increase in blood in the region simply means more heat, recordable with thermal imaging procedures. He adds, "As thermal imaging has been demonstrated in numerous studies to be capable of measuring these heat signatures years before conventional technologies can see a mass, and as the procedure uses no radiation, compression of breast tissue and is totally safe, thermography or DITI/CRT provides for a safe early warning detection system." 

Extra-Cranial Vessel Disease: Thermography has the ability to measure heat related to blood flow through the blood vessels in the breast. In a similar way, a variety of conditions, which relate to flow of blood through the vessels of the neck and head are readily accessed with thermal imaging. As the blood vessels in the face and skull are coursing through very thin tissue between the bones of the skull and the skin covering the skull, they are readily and easily visualized with thermal imaging. As the vessels of the neck are very large caliber vessels, they too are very easily visualized with thermography and clues to the potential of developing vascular disease which might lead to stroke are a consideration when performing thermography.

Jaw and Teeth: The ability of thermal imaging to safely indicate the heat from sources in the jaw and teeth is providing a very exciting opportunity to screen individuals for dental decay and cavitation without routine screening x-rays.

Dr. Meschi states that, "we have seen a number of patients with heat signatures in the jaw related to amalgam fillings which might be toxic for that particular patient. This area of thermal imaging is very promising." 

Neuro-Musculo-Skeletal: This is one of the clearest examples of thermography's ability to accurately diagnose patients with a host of back, neck and extremity disorders. In fact, it was the use of thermography by chiropractors, neurologists, and orthopedists in the late 70's to the late 80's in spinal injury cases from car accidents and work injuries, which really launched the clinical interest in this diagnostic tool. Back strain produces very consistent heat patterns which not only tell us about the source of probable spinal injuries, but can also tell us about areas of spinal compensation. In effect, a patient may be getting treatment for his or her lower back, when the mid back or neck is actually the source of the problem. 

Lower Extremity Vessel Disease: Dr. Meschi states that, "many times a patient comes to our office for whole person screening and we detect a vascular disease on the lower extremity that the patient was completely unaware of. The ability of thermography to detect the presence of deep vein thrombosis and other circulatory disorders of the lower extremities is a very exciting application of this procedure as it allows us to painlessly and safely detect possible disease that if unchecked, could cause the loss of a limb, or in some cases add to the possibility of stroke." 

There are a host of other conditions for which thermography has application. These are only some of the most common uses for thermography, which has been well documented as a safe, non-invasive and non-radiation tool for disease diagnosis.