SAN FRANCISCO -- In the arsenal in the battle against disease, there is a new tool that is becoming increasingly popular. It's called thermal imagery and tracks down damaged cells like those of cancer by the heat signatures they give off.

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Video On Demand: How Thermal Imaging Detects Cancer

Recent studies show infrared- or thermal imaging can spot breast cancer years before a lump develops or can quickly ease one's fears by showing that a lump is not likely a cancerous tumor.

It works like this -- a growing tumor triggers new blood vessels and the increased blood flow makes the surrounding tissue slightly warmer.

"So basically, what we see is at the surface of the skin, we get a different color," said Dr. Robert Kane, of Woodside Thermal Imaging. "That is a sign of what's happening beneath the surface."

As Kane looked at an image on his office viewer, he explained that the woman's right breast was normal -- a cool blue. But her left breast showed unusual warmth -- a splattering of red. The thermal camera revealed what seemed to be telltale blood vessels around a cancerous tumor.

"We have a pretty good suspicion this woman has cancer right here," he said.

Since thermal imaging is not invasive, it's not government regulated. And while it's been around for decades, recent advances in infra-red technology have improved diagnostic accuracy. Still Kane said he refers all suspicious findings to his patients' physicians.

The National Cancer Institute is now conducting a special study on thermal imaging and supporters say it could be the breast cancer screening technique of choice in as little as five years.