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According to the American Thyroid Association, approximately 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid problem, with a greater percentage of women than men. Additionally, up to 60% of people with thyroid dysfunction are unaware that the problems exist.

Thyroid nodules (TN) are common in the general population, and the clinical importance of diagnosing thyroid nodules is based on excluding the possibility of thyroid cancer, which occurs in 7-15% of cases. The thyroid gland, owing to its superficial location, is easily accessible via thermography, a noninvasive method of recording body temperature that measures infrared radiation emitted by the body surface.

A recent study aimed to evaluate the temperature differences between benign and malignant TN by using thermography (Endocr J. 2021 May 28;68(5):573-581). A cross-sectional study was conducted where 147 TN were divided into two groups: the first group included 120 benign nodules and the other included 27 malignant nodules. All the nodules were subjected to ultrasound, fine needle aspiration biopsy, and thermography. On analyzing the thermography results, malignant nodules have higher temperatures than benign nodules on thermographic evaluation. This finding suggests that thermography can be a useful tool in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

One of the major issues that can be detected during thermal imaging screenings is inflammation in the thyroid, which is a good indicator that a person may have thyroid dysfunction and should seek thyroid-specific screenings such as blood tests. The most basic initial blood test for thyroid checks TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). A high level of TSH indicates that the thyroid is not producing sufficient hormones, and a low level indicates that the thyroid is producing too much.

Thermography offers a non-invasive, non-radiologic measurement of thyroid physiology. It provides a representation of physiologic function which when coupled with history, physical examination and blood or imaging tests will provide a far greater picture of the thyroid function. People with previously normal lab tests who are still experiencing symptoms can use thermography to “see” if there are changes in the physiology of the area. Early detection means more time to address underlying issues and allows for a more comprehensive treatment program.

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For more information about medical thermography, contact Hayden Health and Wellness at 208-635-5658 or haydenhealth@gmail.com.

Dr. Wendy Cunningham and Catherine Thomas are Thermography Technicians for Breast Thermography International (BTIscan.com) and members of PACT (Professional Association of Clinical Thermography).