Thermography (also called thermal imaging or infrared imaging) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1982 as a supplement to mammography in helping to detect breast cancer. Thermography can help determine whether a local abnormality in breast tissue temperature is present, which may indicate the presence of disease. Though thermography is FDA approved, the exam has not gained acceptance in the medical community as a necessary or effective tool in breast cancer detection. According to the American College of Radiology, thermography has not shown value as a screening, diagnostic, or adjunctive imaging tool.