Thermal imaging is ideal for anyone who wants to take a proactive approach to their health. Instead of focusing only on diagnosing disease, thermography supports a shift toward Health Discovery—a forward-thinking way to monitor your body’s patterns and make informed lifestyle choices before issues develop.
It’s especially valuable for individuals who believe in partnering with their healthcare practitioners to track progress, identify early changes, and make meaningful adjustments that support long-term vitality and longevity.
No, you do not need a referral and may schedule directly with us.
These usually arise when the technology is misused or when untrained providers make inaccurate claims.
When performed by certified technicians who follow strict clinical guidelines and FDA-compliant protocols, thermography is a safe and powerful tool. It offers unique insight into your body’s physiology and early changes in your health that no other technology can reveal. Used properly, it plays an important role in monitoring wellness and supporting your personalized healing journey.
No — thermography is not a replacement for ultrasounds, MRIs, X-rays, or any other type of imaging. These technologies work in completely different ways.
Thermography is a functional imaging tool, which means it detects heat patterns, inflammation, and vascular activity — showing how the body is functioning. In contrast, tests like MRI or ultrasound are structural imaging tools, designed to look at the body’s anatomy and physical structures.
Think of it this way: an EKG doesn’t replace an echocardiogram. They both look at the heart, but from entirely different perspectives — and together, they give a more complete picture.
The same idea applies here. Thermography offers unique information about physiological changes that no other technology can provide, but it doesn’t replace traditional imaging. In fact, the best results come from combining tests — for example, using thermography alongside an ultrasound and a physical exam for a more comprehensive view of breast health.
No — these are two very different procedures with distinct purposes.
Mammography is a diagnostic imaging test that uses low-dose radiation to screen for potential signs of breast cancer. Its focus is on detecting structural changes that may indicate the presence of disease.
Thermography, on the other hand, measures temperature variations and patterns in breast tissue. It doesn’t diagnose or “hunt for” cancer but rather helps assess the overall health and function of the breasts.
When used correctly, thermography serves as a valuable complementary tool. It can help detect early physiological changes, guide healthy lifestyle adjustments, and monitor your progress over time. This allows you to take proactive steps—such as improving nutrition, managing stress, and supporting hormone balance—to help your body return to a state of wellness and equilibrium.
No — the cold challenge is no longer used in current thermography practices.
Years ago, some clinics would have patients place their hands in ice water or use cold packs before imaging. However, research as far back as the late 1980s showed that this step did not make thermography results more accurate or reliable.
Despite this, a few outdated sources still insist that thermography without a cold challenge isn’t valid. That’s incorrect. Multiple reviews by leading experts — including a peer-reviewed study led by Dr. William Amalu with contributions from Dr. William Hobbins, pioneers in the field — confirmed that a cold challenge adds no benefit.
The American Academy of Thermology (AAT) reaffirmed these findings in its 2013 internationally peer-reviewed standards and guidelines. Today’s certified thermographers follow these up-to-date protocols to deliver accurate, comfortable, and science-based imaging.
Thermography’s greatest strength lies in its ability to monitor patterns and changes throughout the body over time — giving a broader picture of your overall health.
For your first thermogram, we recommend a Full Body or Health Study exam, which captures multiple regions and provides the most comprehensive insight into your physiology. This approach helps identify imbalances, inflammation, or circulation concerns that may not be visible through a single-area scan.
While a breast thermogram alone can be helpful, it offers only a limited view of your body’s overall function. A full-body study delivers a deeper, more holistic understanding of your health and helps guide proactive wellness decisions.
Thermography measures temperature patterns on the surface of the skin, with sensitivity up to about 5 millimeters deep. This means it cannot visualize or detect abnormalities within deeper internal organs such as the uterus or ovaries.
This understanding comes from well-documented research. In controlled studies, heat-producing modules were surgically placed at various depths under the skin in both human and animal subjects. The results showed that heat sources deeper than 5mm could not be detected through infrared imaging.
While modern infrared technology has improved, the basic laws of thermodynamics remain the same. No recent studies have demonstrated that newer systems can accurately detect deeper structures. Until proven otherwise, thermography should be viewed as a surface temperature assessment tool—highly useful for evaluating physiological patterns, but not a replacement for imaging methods that visualize internal organs.
Our high-resolution cameras are 161,200. We have likely double what many others use. Images can appear as good as other 307’s due to the fact that we use a CAT 8 cable, and our cameras have a NETD less than 30 mK. This means optimal use of all the great resolution that our camera is capable of! Our 161,000 will produce images that are just as good as other 307’s!
They do not diagnose but they do make suggestions.
You will normally receive your report in one-two weeks at the latest.
It might, it depends what kind and where. The person would need to be bald.
Three months
It is ok the night before but not the day of.
Please note that thermography is not normally covered by insurance, although we wish it were!
While some patients have attempted to submit claims using CPT code 93740, we are unable to provide any specific diagnosis or procedure codes for this service.
Although insurance reimbursement is unlikely, you may be able to include the cost of your thermography scan as an out-of-pocket medical expense when filing your personal taxes. We recommend consulting with your tax advisor to see if this applies to you.
