Groundbreaking Cancer detection device available at Naas Clinic
BY Lisa-anne crooks
A Naas clinic is pioneering a break-through screening process that can detect early signs of breast cancer ten years before a mammogram.
The Irish Centre of Integrated Medicine in Naas has recently introduced a thermography machine to the clinic, the very first of its kind in Ireland.
Thermography is an imaging technique that uses specialised infra-red cameras to take a picture of the breast or other soft tissues. The camera can detect temperature patterns of heat emission from the skin surface to a depth of six millimetres. It is a non-contact, non-invasive procedure with no side-effects or risks to the patient.
Felipe Reitz ATCM MCGS, the main medical adviser and head of the Advanced Microscopy Research Department at the Irish Centre of Integrated Medicine, describes the importance of the groundbreaking technology.
“I brought this machine to Ireland two months ago and I have no idea why it hasn’t been used here before. There are machines all over Europe and in the US. I went to see it in Cyprus, the states and then in Portugal. I decided to buy a machine for the clinic in Naas.
“The machine can detect a small tumour eight to ten years before a mammogram can detect it. It is not a replacement for mammograms and that is very important to note but likewise, the mammogram is no substitute for this machine,” he added.
The most common applications of thermography include breast pathologies; vertebrae (nerve problems and arthritis) in babies, starting from three months old; detecting the right area for surgery and circulatory pre-disposition (varicose veins); dental problems; thyroid problems and inflammatory problems.
“We have not advertised this machine at all and just want to let local people in Kildare know about it first. Already in the past two months we have had over 70 people use the machine. The training to use this system was very intense and I trained for over two months before I used it. We also have a doctor from the Harley Street Clinic in London who comes over every Thursday and Friday to use the machine,” he added.
Felipe is quick to point out that is what saves lives. It can spot a tumour before it can be felt. I want to let the people of Kildare have the opportunity to use this machine before the rest of country knows about it,” he said.
A breast screening at the Naas clinic costs €165.00 and a full body is approximately €380.00, considerably less than in other countries.
The system has already been used in the equine industry here in Kildare with horse breeders using thermography to identify areas of inflammation not easily detected by vets.
Thermography, although new to Ireland, has been used since the mid-1950s. It was first used for observing battlefield troop movements at night.
Later, Raymond Lawson, a Canadian surgeon and tumour metabolism researcher, investigated the possibility of using the technology to detect the increase in heat that cancerous breast tumours produce.
In 1959, the first medical thermogram to investigate breast cancer was taken. At present, there are over 1,200 thermography devices in the United States.
In 2003, thermography was the recommended screening protocol for the efficient, rapid detection of individuals with the SARS virus.
“It is really the lastest camera available to detect such things and is great news for patients in Ireland. The image are very powerful,” Felipe added.
Testing is currently available at the Irish Centre of Integrated Medicine in Naas. For more information, visit the centre’s website on www.icim.ie.
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Tags: Breast Check, Detect Cancer