Contemporary applications of infrared imaging in medical diagnostics.

Contemporary applications of infrared imaging in medical diagnostics.

Mikulska D. Katedra i Klinika Chorób Skórnych i Wenerycznych Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej al. Powstanców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin.

INTRODUCTION: Thermal imaging is a non-contact, non-invasive diagnostic method for study human body temperature. Therefore infrared thermal imaging finds increasing application in clinical medicine.

PURPOSE: The aim of this paper was to present and discuss the history and applications of thermal imaging in medicine.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The literature dealing with the history and applications of thermal imaging in medicine has been reviewed.

RESULTS: Medical thermography was born in 1957 when a surgeon, Dr. R. Lawson discovered that his breast cancer patients had higher skin temperature over the cancer area. Since the 1970's thermography has been used in many areas of medicine. Early problems such as low detector sensitivity, but most significantly, poor training of thermography technicians was the source of error in thermography and retarded the acceptance of this technique until 1990. Since that time, thermographic equipment has evolved significantly. Modern thermal imaging systems comprise
technically advanced thermal cameras coupled to computers with sophisticated software solutions. The recorded images are now of good quality and may be further processed to obtain reliable information. Thermography can be applied as a diagnostic tool in oncology, allergic diseases, angiology, plastic surgery, rheumatology, and elsewhere. Contemporary thermal imaging must be performed according to certain principles aimed at reliability and reproducibility of results.

CONCLUSIONS: 1. Thermography is a safe, accurate and, most importantly, a noninvasive diagnostic method in clinical medicine. 2. Ignoring any of the principles worked out by the European Association of Thermology leaves thermography open to error and thus reduces acceptance of this technique in medical diagnostics.

Infrared thermography. Its role in dental research with particular reference to craniomandibular disorders.

Infrared thermography. Its role in dental research with particular reference to craniomandibular disorders. 

Biagioni PA, Longmore RB, McGimpsey JG, Lamey PJ.
 
Source
School of Clinical Dentistry, Queen's University of Belfast, UK.

Abstract
The use of infrared thermography in dentistry has been minimal, principally due to technological inadequacies of previous thermal imaging systems. However, with the ever-developing advancement in technology, current systems are capable of producing real-time, highly sensitive digitized thermal images. This development has led to an increased use of infrared imaging within both medical and dental research. The present paper describes these techniques and their previous applications within dentistry, and, through the use of a pilot study, highlights possible future applications in the assessment of craniomandibular disorders.

Somatic sympathetic vasomotor changes documented by medical thermographic imaging during acupuncture analgesia.

Somatic sympathetic vasomotor changes documented by medical thermographic imaging during acupuncture analgesia. 

Thomas D1, Collins S, Strauss S.

Abstract
Acupuncture is widely used for pain relief in many musculoskeletal disorders, and evidence suggests that modulation of the sympathetic nervous system responses which play an integral part in somatic pain, is an important mechanism of acupuncture action. This prospective study of 20 patients with neck and arm pain measured finger temperature, controlled by somatic sympathetic vasomotor activity before and after needle acupuncture. Responses were correlated with visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain severity. An association was found between pain relief and reduced sympathetic vasomotor activity. In 10 patients with significant reduction in visual analogue scale (VAS) pain (p less than .05), the mean change in temperature (delta t degrees C) was 0.55 (SD +/- 0.86) with significant difference in pre to post treatment temperatures (p less than .01). In 10 patients without significant pain relief on VAS scoring (p greater than .05), the mean t degrees C was 0.20 (SD +0.72) without significant difference in pre to post treatment temperatures (p greater than .05). The relevance of somatic sympathetic influences on musculoskeletal pain and modulation of sympathetic activity by acupuncture will be discussed.