How Often Should Breast Thermography Be Done?
An initial thermogram with a 3-6 month follow-up establishes a baseline. Thereafter , annual thermograms are generally recommended. Other countries are suggesting a first thermogram at 20 or 25 and then every five years until 40-45. Since most cancers take 10-12 years to grow to a palpable size, watching the thermographic patterns of the breast will alert you to changes that are starting much earlier so hopefully you will have time to make changes.
For most patients a thermogram should be done once a year. If you are working with the Proactive Breast Wellness Program, and your doctor wants to include thermography along with the other tests he or she elects to monitor your progress with, you could repeat the scan in 4-6 months. It is important to work closely with your health care professional and to follow their advice as to when you may need to do further structural studies in addition to mammograms, ultrasounds, MRIs and any surgical evaluation that they feel is prudent to pursue.
