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Radiothermometry is a diagnostic technique that measures the interstitial temperature of the human body. This diagnostic is absolutely safe and completely painless, since it does not involve the generation of any type of radiation. Information about the necessary data is directly registered heat-wave radiation of the human body.
The method of radiothermometry itself is used in medical circles for the early diagnosis of tumors in the thyroid gland, mammary glands, skin, to detect pulmonary inflammatory processes, inflammation of the abdominal cavity and female genital organs, to monitor the course of treatment. In addition, using this technique, you can exclude diseases of the kidneys, spine, prostate, it is great for determining the level of health in men over 45 and women over 35 years old.
Among all known breast diagnostic techniques used in modern medicine, breast radiothermometry is the youngest. Despite the fact that the computer microwave radiometer of the latest generation appeared in the open spaces of modern clinics in the late 90s of the 20th century, the technique is still little known to a wide range of patients. This fact is sad, since the statistics of the growth of oncological diseases of the mammary glands is constantly growing, and this research method very clearly, simply, safely and painlessly helps to identify such a pathology and prescribe timely treatment.
Competitive advantages of the technique
Since the human body is a large electromagnet that constantly produces waves, these radiations can be captured using specialized devices and, based on their dynamics, conclusions can be drawn about a particular state of the body. Data on electromagnetic fields are transmitted to a computer monitor, and already on them, specialists calculate the disease that has arisen. It is important to know that with very powerful radiation, the temperature of the tissue will always be much higher. For example, if mastitis or cancer occurs, the breast tissue will be very hot, since the cancerous tumor is characterized by ultra-fast cell division, which leads to an increase in metabolism and, as a result, to an increase in temperature in this area. And in the case of fibrocystic mastopathy or replacement with glandular adipose tissue in obesity, the metabolism is slowed down and the temperature of the mammary glands becomes lowered.
The main advantages of microwave radiothermometry include:
- complete painlessness of the diagnostic process and convenience for the subject;
- absolute safety with the absence of any contraindications for carrying out;
- the possibility of carrying out the procedure without the occurrence of any side effects countless times;
- the possibility of detecting the earliest stages of oncological diseases even before the formation of the most immediate tumor;
- the ability to assess the effectiveness of the therapy as accurately as possible even before the first signs of a change in dynamics should appear.
The device with which radiothermometry of the mammary glands is performed looks like a small box with a computer and a printer attached to it with wires. The box is installed next to the couch where the subject lies, one of its sensors will measure the surface temperature of the skin of the mammary glands, and the second – the temperature of the internal tissues. Before starting the diagnosis, the doctor will interview the patient for any chronic diseases, heredity, past infections, and other things, enter all this data into a computer and proceed to a direct examination.
Diagnosis begins with measuring the average body temperature using a sensor in the form of a large pen at two points – at the bottom of the chest and in the epigastric region. Then the specialist measures the internal temperature of the tissues on the mammary glands, examining 9 symmetrically located points on each gland and 1 point in two armpits. Measurement of temperature in the armpits near the lymph nodes located in them is required for the reason that these lymph nodes can be involved in inflammatory processes or tumor-forming processes. 15 minutes after the start of the diagnosis, radiothermometry of the mammary glands ends, after which, for 5 minutes, the specialist continues to measure the surface temperature of the skin on the mammary glands.
Data analysis
All radiothermometry data, which are received on a computer monitor during the procedure, are processed upon completion of the study. At the same time, the data of thermal indicators, which correspond to breast cancer tumors obtained during the biopsy, are already filled in the memory of the connected computer. With such data, the computer will compare the indications that it received during the last study, and based on the results of the comparison, the machine will provide an answer – whether the patient is at risk for certain pathologies. The doctor, after the study, will display two differently colored circles on the monitor, which will characterize the temperature indicators of both mammary glands. This is called thermograms.
At each temperature, a part of the circle is painted in a certain color. When the circle is colored in red, the thermogram indicates a high temperature and the occurrence of an inflammatory or malignant process in the mammary gland, with a blue tint, the specialist concludes that there is fibrous or adipose tissue in the breast, and with a green color, a conclusion is made about the full health of the gland under study. The presence of blue, orange or yellow colors does not characterize a specific disease, they only show the doctor the area where there are currently deviations from the accepted norm.
At the same time, it is important to understand that the information that radiothermometry provides may be more complete and informative than the information that was taken from the ultrasound results of the study or mammography. The thermogram shows the places of accumulation of cancer cells even before the formation of the tumor, that is, in the patient’s condition, when it is not possible to probe or examine oncology on ultrasound or a mammograph. Radiothermometry demonstrates the occurrence of oncology even in cases where the patient still does not have any health complaints.
Features of the diagnosis of mammary glands
Radiothermometry of the mammary glands can be performed without any restrictions on the number and frequency. At the same time, not everyone can do mammography too often because of the certain dose of radiation exposure that it carries. At the same time, the specialist gets the opportunity to evaluate the results of the applied therapy in dynamics, since even at the beginning of the prescribed treatment, its result becomes visible, and if he does not satisfy the specialist, he can correct the course of therapy without wasting time.
However, physicians do not allow a complete rejection of mammography and ultrasound examination of the mammary glands, since it is these types of diagnostics that allow you to fully see the neoplasm itself, while radiothermometry demonstrates the processes occurring inside the gland, and the formations themselves (tumors or cysts) cannot show. Radiothermometry is an additional research technique to ultrasound and mammography in order to make a more accurate diagnosis. But sometimes one performed radiothermometry may not be enough, since soreness of the mammary glands can also be caused by osteochondrosis of the spine, which can only be confirmed using ultrasound or mammography.
The technique of microwave radiothermometry is also used in the examination of the mammary glands in men. In the case of gynecomastia or breast enlargement, the male half of the population may experience soreness, discharge from the nipples, or swelling. This is due to hormonal imbalance and leads to the formation of various tumors, up to cancer.