Can disease be detected with DITI or thermography?

Question

I stumbled across Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) on the website of a pharmacy.

Wikipedia explains that DITI is a type of "thermology/thermography", but has scant information on it.

Regardless of the name does it have any evidence supporting it as a diagnostic tool?

Clinical thermography, also known as Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI), maps physiological patterns that indicate both normal health and disease. Thermography is especially sensitive in the detection of early stage breast cancer. As a screening of physiology, thermography can detect function associated with actively growing cancer years before a lump is large enough to be detected by mammography or self exam. There exam involves no radiation and no contact with the equipment. All thermograms are interpreted by ACCT-accredited medical doctors. Screenings include: Breast, Women’s Wellness, Full Body and other Regions of Interest.

From Peoples RX (link broken; see archive)

And the link to the site actually providing the service: Picture your health (link broken; see archive)

Answer 1

Yes, Digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI) can be used as an adjunct to mammography and ultrasound to detect breast cancer in women. The role of DITI has been evaluated in the study 'Effectiveness of a noninvasive digital infrared thermal imaging system in the detection of breast cancer' by Arora N et. al. 2008 for detection of dense breast parenchyma in women.

Per results of the study,

Sixty of 94 biopsies were malignant and 34 were benign. DITI identified 58 of 60 malignancies, with 97% sensitivity, 44% specificity, and 82% negative predictive value depending on the mode used. Compared to an overall risk score of 0, a score of 3 or greater was significantly more likely to be associated with malignancy (30% vs 90%, P < .03).

CONCLUSION: DITI is a valuable adjunct to mammography and ultrasound, especially in women with dense breast parenchyma.