If a woman feels hesitant about having a mammogram what other options does she have?
Studies have shown that clinical screening is just as useful as mammography. Ultrasound scans which use high frequency waves to record the image is useful in women with dense breast tissue in picking up small tumors that mammograms might miss.
But probably the most promising test is thermography. It is a non-invasive, non-ionizing, FDA-approved technology that uses ultra-sensitive infrared cameras to produce diagnostic images of temperature variations in tissue. It can identify suspicious activity at the earliest stages, well in advance of a tumor showing up on a mammogram, and before malignant cells have a chance to spread. Some authorities consider it superior to mammography in identifying tumors in pre-menopausal women and women with dense tissue, fibrocystic disease, or implants. A thermogram is capable of detecting suspicious activity around the armpit, where mammograms miss tumors in the upper quadrant area. If a hot spot shows up, additional diagnostic techniques may be employed to pinpoint rumor location.
You may opt for having a mammogram every 5 years with thermogram every year in between.
Terry Pfau DO HMD