The short answer
Thermography makes a heat map of the breast surface; it does not image the tissue inside. The FDA states it has not been shown to work as a standalone screening test and has only cleared thermal imaging devices as an add-on to a primary test like mammography. The main danger is not the camera — it is a falsely reassuring result that delays a real diagnosis.
The FDA says thermography "has not been shown to be effective as a standalone test for breast cancer screening and detecting early-stage breast cancer."
Thermography devices are cleared by the FDA only as an adjunct — used alongside mammography, never instead of it.
A thermogram maps skin temperature; a mammogram is an x-ray image of the breast itself.
In 2019 the FDA issued a warning letter to a clinic marketing thermography for breast cancer and said there is no valid scientific data showing thermography devices are an effective screening tool.
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The claim
You may have seen thermography promoted as a painless, radiation-free way to find breast cancer years before a mammogram would. It is also called breast thermal imaging or infrared imaging. Some clinics present it as a full replacement for mammography. The pitch is aimed at people who find mammograms uncomfortable, or who worry about x-rays.
What thermography actually measures
A thermogram uses an infrared camera to make a heat map of the surface of the breast. It does not create a picture of the tissue inside. The FDA says it has not been shown to work on its own as a screening test. A mammogram is a different kind of test. It is an x-ray image of the breast tissue itself. The FDA calls mammography the most effective primary screening method for early breast cancer.
What the evidence shows
The FDA has been direct. Its consumer update on thermography states that the test "has not been shown to be effective as a standalone test for breast cancer screening and detecting early-stage breast cancer." Thermal imaging devices have only ever been cleared by the FDA as adjunctive. That means they are used alongside a primary test such as mammography, never instead of one.
The agency has also acted on it. On February 25, 2019, the FDA issued a warning letter to a company marketing an unapproved thermography device. Its announcement put the science flatly. There is "no valid scientific data to show that thermographic devices, when used on their own or with another diagnostic test, are an effective screening tool for any medical condition," the agency wrote — "including the early detection of breast cancer or other diseases and conditions." The FDA adds that mammography is the only screening method proven to reduce deaths from breast cancer through early detection.
The FDA names the specific harm plainly: "One of the greatest risks from thermography is that those who opt for this method instead of mammography may miss the chance to detect breast cancer at its earliest stage." The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening mammography every two years for women aged 40 to 74.
What this does not mean
The problem is not the camera. It is what happens next. A normal-looking thermogram can create false confidence and delay a diagnosis.
No test is perfect, and it is fair to raise concerns about mammograms with your clinician. But the FDA says it is not aware of scientific evidence that thermography detects cancer years earlier or does better in dense breasts.
If discomfort or radiation is holding you back, say so at your appointment. If you have dense breasts, ask about extra imaging. The USPSTF says the evidence on ultrasound or MRI as add-ons is not yet enough to judge.
The bottom line
Thermography is not a substitute for mammography, and the FDA says so explicitly. If a clinic offers you thermal imaging as a replacement rather than an extra, treat that as a reason for caution rather than reassurance. Bring the offer to your own clinician. Ask what screening schedule fits your personal risk.
Sources
Common questions
Is thermography FDA approved for breast cancer screening?
No. The FDA has cleared thermal imaging devices only as an adjunctive tool, meaning they may be used alongside a primary test such as mammography. No thermography device is cleared or approved to screen for or diagnose breast cancer on its own.
Can thermography detect breast cancer years before a mammogram?
That claim is not supported. The FDA has said it is not aware of scientific evidence backing claims that thermography detects cancer years earlier or performs better in dense tissue.
Is thermography safe? It has no radiation and no compression.
The FDA says one of the greatest risks is that people who choose thermography instead of mammography may miss the chance to find breast cancer at its earliest stage. A normal-looking thermogram can give false reassurance and delay a diagnosis.
My mammogram is uncomfortable and I am worried about radiation. What are my options?
Say that at your appointment. Tell your care team what worries you. They can explain what to expect and what your options are. If you have dense breasts, ask about extra imaging. The USPSTF says there is not yet enough evidence on the balance of benefits and harms of breast ultrasound or MRI as extra screening. Thermography is not a substitute.
Why do some clinics still offer thermography for breast screening?
The FDA says it has taken, and will continue to take, regulatory action against makers who market thermography as an alternative to mammography. In 2019 it sent a warning letter to a clinic marketing an unapproved thermography device.
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Written by: Cancer ExplainedSources last checked: 2026-07-30 what this meansLast updated: 2026-10-02Next planned review: 2027-01-30
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Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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