While Tayrn Kean, owner of Thermal Imaging in Bonita Springs, can’t remember every detail about the earliest years of her childhood, she is certain that she left her mother’s womb holding tight to the dream of becoming a veterinarian. “I set my sites on an undergraduate degree in Animal Science from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, which I received in 1997. I paid my way through college by working in the college’s physiology and clinical research department for four years before I pursued my degree and for four years afterwards. I did a lot of hands-on learning that later impressed the veterinarian’s that I worked with in private practice,” says Kean

After earning her undergraduate degree, Kean was faced with a new reality. “I discovered that working within the hallowed halls of academia and research had shielded me from the reality that happens every day as a veterinarian assistant working within the setting of a small veterinary clinic. I switched and started working as a technician in an emergency medical setting, where I used the experienced I gained from working with large, small and exotic animals at Virginia-Tech. After that experience I wanted a different career in something other than veterinary work.
 
Kean’s father, who had a successful career in construction engineering, offered his daughter a temporary solution while she contemplated another future. “Dad was in the process of growing a successful concrete and masonry company. He offered me an office job, which I knew absolutely nothing about. I didn’t even have computer skills. In short order I discovered that I loved it. Although I had lots to learn I advanced to project manager in a couple of years just before dad decided to take the company in another direction that required me to become a state licensed general contractor. I studied for months and passed the challenging test on the first try. I still maintain an active license,” explains Kean.

Riding and showing horses is a passion that Kean has followed since she was big enough to mount a horse and fit into a saddle. It isn’t surprising that she learned about her present career in thermography through the world of equestrian competition. “It’s a big deal if a horse hurts even a little because the pain affects their ability to perform. Thermography is used to locate the source of a physiological problem that must be corrected immediately so that it doesn’t escalate and end the horse’s career. I became very interested in the modality and trained in equine thermography, which was very demanding and required traveling,” notes Kean, who switched to human subjects when she learned of the growing demand in breast imaging.  

Initially when Kean opened up Southwest Medical Thermal Imaging in 2011 she created interest by using a door-to-door marketing approach that included educating local physicians on the benefits of thermography. Connected to the American College of Clinical Thermography Fort Myers office from the beginning of her imaging career, Kean trained there in three imaging levels—Level 1/basic principles with a focus on breast imaging, Level 2, advanced scanning to include dentistry and allergy testing orthopedics and Level 3 for training the trainer and certification to teach the Level 1 thermography course. “In retrospect, I realized that they were stealthily succeeding in easing me into my present responsibility for training physicians in private practice and in hospitals throughout North America,” she says.

Kean recently added ultrasound services to her imaging menu. “No one screening tool is perfect. I found that ultrasound and thermography work really well together as proactive tools when looking for inflammation and dysfunction in the body, particularly in the areas of the thyroid, breast, and carotid arteries.

Southwest Thermal Imaging is located in the Sunshine Plaza & Professional Center, 9148 Bonita Beach Rd., Ste. 202 in Bonita Springs. For more information call 239-949-2011 or visit ThermalClinic.com.