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The shortage of organs and the growing need for them over recent years have led to the adoption of less stringent donor acceptance criteria, resulting in the approval of marginal organs for transplant, especially from elderly donors. This implies a higher risk of graft dysfunction, a higher frequency of immunological and vascular complications, and shorter graft survival. Several strategies have been implemented in clinical practice to assess graft quality and suitability for transplantation. We have started to test the prospective intraoperative use of thermo-vision cameras during graft reperfusion. Images were acquired using the FLIR One Pro thermo-vision camera for android devices. We hypothesized that thermal images would give a better perspective about the quality of arterial perfusion and graft revascularization of the renal cortex. Thermo-vision cameras provide an easy-to-use, noninvasive, cost-effective tool for the global assessment of kidney graft cortical microcirculation in the immediate post-reperfusion period, providing additional data on the immediate viability and function of a graft.

Infrared thermography lends countless applications in biology and veterinary science. The popularity of the use of infrared imaging in the detection and mitigation of animal diseases has increased ...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common problem affecting men as they age. Duplex ultrasonography (DUS) of the penis is currently the standard for office-based assessment o...

Besides chemical testing, thermographic imaging is a possible method to determine pregnancy in some animals. Hilsberg (2001) defined the unilateral warming at the end of a pregnancy, caused by the metabolizing fetus and the uterus near the outer skin, as the pregnancy field. Its appearance was observed in various species at the end of the gestation period. No studies were yet carried out to investigate the changing of thermal patterns during pregnancy. This study monitored the thermographic changes of one pregnant babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) sow and one babirusa male by taking thermal images once a week from the estimated 3rd pregnancy week until parturition in the 23rd pregnancy week. Images were searched manually for heat areas correlated to pregnancy as well as analysed automatically for median and maximum temperatures of the animal's side. Additionally, the locations of all pixels, which were not more than 2 K below the maximum temperature, were evaluated. In the female, there was a positive correlation between maximum temperatures of left and right side to pregnancy weeks (R = 0.61, R = 0.66, respectively; p 0.05). The female's median temperatures and all temperatures of the male were not correlated to pregnancy weeks. Differences between median and maximum temperatures were significantly different during the 2nd, and 3rd trimester in the female, but not in the male. Temperature differences between 1st and 2nd trimester were not significant in both animals. The location of the warmest areas in the female shifted from thorax and flank to be mainly localised on the teats. In the male, the warmest areas remain localised on thorax and flank. No distinct pregnancy field was observed, but the warming of the teats could be seen in the images and the evaluated data. The teats are less insulated in most animals. Contraindications for thermal imaging like insulation could therefore become less important, allowing thermal pregnancy diagnosis for a larger range of animals than before. Based on these findings we suggest that the warming of the teats could be used for thermal pregnancy diagnosis when a pregnancy field is not observable.

Induction of hypothermia and consequent hypometabolism by pharmacological downmodulation of the internal thermostat could be protective in various medical situations such as ischemia/reperfusion. Systemic hypoxia is a trigger of thermostat downregulation in some mammals, which is sensed though carotid chemoreceptors (carotid bodies, CBs). Using non-invasive thermographic imaging in mice, we demonstrated that surgical bilateral CB denervation does not hamper hypoxia-induced hypothermia. However, the recovery from a protective and reversible hypothermic state after restoration to normoxic conditions was impaired in CB-resected mice versus control animals. Therefore, the carotid chemoreceptors play an important role in the central regulation of hypoxia-driven hypothermia in mice, but only in the rewarming phase.

The aim of this paper is to describe and assess the energetic-metabolic activity of selected muscles of upper and lower extremities during Rotational Training (RT). The influence of RT on temperature changes in the biceps and triceps brachii muscles as well as the quadriceps and biceps femoris muscles of healthy university students were verified, in addition to temperature differences between the left and right side before and after RT. The study was conducted on 18 subjects. RT was conducted in accordance with accepted forms of training methodology of collective fitness. An important part of RT was the performance of circular and rotational movements. Thermograms taken before and immediately after RT focused on 4 regions of selected agonists and synergists in the upper and lower body. The camera used was the infrared hand-held CEDIP Titanium 560M IR (USA), located at a distance of 10 m from the subject. After RT, median Tsk (skin temperature) decreased in almost all of the examined ROIs, except for the left and right Qf (the quadriceps femoris, rectus femoris, and sartorius muscles) as well as the left Tb (triceps brachii) in female subjects. In male subjects, left and right Tsk of Qf increased both for the left and right Tb. Left-Right ΔTsk (temperature difference) was statistically significant (p

The aim of study was to assess the skin temperature changes over selected muscles zones of the lower limbs following an exercise performed at similar relative external workload in 10 male and 6 female high-trained cross-country skiers. The first stage of experiment involved preliminary exercise to determine individual oxygen uptake VO2max and anaerobic threshold. The second stage experimental exercise consisted of 60 min running on treadmill with 80% of determined VO2max Thermographic imaging of lower limbs was performed, before, immediately after exercise and during recovery. Physiological parameters: VO2, MET—metabolic energy equivalent, heart rate and internal temperature were assessed at rest and at the end of exercise, respectively. Infrared thermography showed that at rest the skin temperature over lower limb muscles was significantly higher in men than in women. In response to exercise an increase in skin temperature over the studied muscles was significantly higher in women than men. Since was no significant difference in skin temperature in men and women after exercise. Before the test, no physiological parameter was significantly different in women and men. Exercise test reveled significant differences between men and women in some physiological parameters such as VO2 and MET. Our study showed that there are significant differences in lower limbs skin temperature between male and female at rest but not at the end of exercise test. Women in comparison with men had a greater increase in skin temperature in response to exercise and a persistence of elevated temperature over muscles of lower limbs after exercise.

Background There is concern regarding bioaerosols from patients having procedures impacting surgical team safety. As pathogens and pollutants have been found in surgical smoke, we examined the potential for aerosol escape during transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) which may be particularly important given the presence of faecal contamination in the operative workspace and the specifics of its access platforms. Methods Both qualitative (thermographic imaging) and quantificative (particle counting) methods were used to assess for aerosol release during TAMIS in comparison to laparoscopic operations of similar duration and equipment both at times of surgical dissection and without. TAMIS was performed using a Gelport Path Device (Applied Medical) and Airseal insufflation with valveless trocar (ConMed). Results Significant carbon dioxide (CO2) escapes during TAMIS carrying with it considerable numbers of particles. In general, particle counts were low prior to tissue dissection phases of the operation but increased substantially (25 × 106/m3 or over 40× background counts) during hook cautery dissection. The majority of particles were in the 0.3–0.5 micron range (where counts were increased relative to background between 42× and 65) with the highest relative increase versus background in the 0.5–1.0 micron range. Particle counts < 5 were substantially greater during the TAMIS procedure versus laparoscopic procedures (a laparoscopic-assisted parastomal hernia repair and laparoscopic cholecystectomy) employing similar tools. Conclusions Considerable amounts of particle-rich aerosols escape during TAMIS procedures. Although pathogens are not proven to definitely spread to healthcare staff by such material nebulisation, N95/FFP2 masks, at a minimum, seem prudent while other methods evolve to eliminate this risk. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00384-020-03796-4.

Psychogenic hyperthermia is a stress-related condition reported mostly in women.Neuroendocrine responses to stress in females differ from those of males, and these differences cannot be explained solely based on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. Here, we used infrared (IR) thermographic imaging to record changes in cutaneous temperature following two types of stressful experiences in female and male mice. Mice were exposed to either singlesession restraint stress (20 min) or vertical exploration (rearing) deprivation (60 min), and were monitored for exploratory activity and IR surface thermal changes. Females displayed higher rearing activity than males during the dark phase of the light cycle. Both sexes showed similar plasma corticosterone (CORT) responses after a challenge with restraint and rearing deprivation.However, only females responded to rearing deprivation with increased cutaneous temperature in the head and back, and a reduced thermal response in the tail. Circulating CORT levels were not correlated with the thermal variations. These findings, for the first time, provide evidence for sexspecific cutaneous thermal response to short-term stress in mice following transient verticalactivity deprivation that may mimic clinical psychogenic hyperthermia.

Ultrasonic scalpel (UC) and monopolar electrocautery (ME) are standard equipment for soft tissue surgery. The aim of the present study was to compare intraoperative and postoperative patterns of patients using either UC or ME for skin incisions in neck dissection. In a prospective randomized study of 30 patients, the thermal effects of UC (n = 15) and ME (n = 15) were examined using real-time infrared thermographic imaging. Additionally, tissue damage was evaluated histopathologically. The other measured variables were operation and bleeding time, postoperative pain score (only neck incision area), in-patient time, and complications. UC significantly reduces the thermal effects, compared to ME (p

Objectives & Background Acute limp is a common presenting complaint in the paediatric emergency department. There are a number of possible causes of acute limp, ranging from the minor, such as traumatic injury, to more severe conditions, such as infection or malignancy. In young children, these causes are not always easily distinguished, even with the use of radiological imaging and laboratory investigations. With this pilot study, we aimed to develop an infrared thermographic imaging technique for use as a diagnostic aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of acute undifferentiated limp in young children. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to critically evaluate the effectiveness of thermal imaging in this context, whilst developing an appropriate protocol for an emergency environment. Methods Following NHS ethics approval, 30 children were recruited from the Sheffield Children9s Hospital ED. The participants were divided into groups based on diagnosis. Using an infrared camera, the lower limbs of the participants were imaged to record the skin surface temperature of both the affected side and unaffected side. Using predefined Regions of Interest (locations of thermographic measurement on the leg), any temperature difference between the two legs of each subject was recorded and the ability to isolate the specific region affected by injury was assessed. Results In all Regions of Interest assessed, the median temperature reading for the affected side was higher than that of the unaffected side. The ability of infrared thermography to isolate the specific region affected was evident on an individual basis, with particular case studies showing promise. The small sample size recruited for each group meant that tests of significant difference need to be interpreted in this context and further research is required to form clinically meaningful conclusions. Conclusion This pilot study has highlighted a number of potential avenues for future research into the use of thermographic imaging in an emergency setting. Repeating a similar study with a larger sample size will allow more credence to be given to the tests of significant difference. This study indicated that thermal imaging shows promise as an additional tool in the diagnosis and monitoring of acute undifferentiated limp in young children.

The discovery of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adults has sparked interest in its role as a therapeutic target in metabolic disorders. Infrared thermography is a promising way to quantify BAT; however, a standardized methodology has not been established. This study aims to establish a standardized and reproducible protocol to measure thermal response to cold in the supraclavicular area using thermographic imaging. In Phase 1, we compared the thermal response to 12 °C cold after acclimation at either 32 °C or room temperature using thermographic imaging. Repeatability of the 32 °C acclimation trial was studied in a second group in Phase 2. Phase 1 included 28 men (mean age 23.9 ± 5.9 y; mean BMI 25.2 ± 3.9 kg/m2) and Phase 2 included 14 men (mean age 20.9 ± 2.4 y; mean BMI 23.6 ± 3.1 kg/m2). The thermal response was greater after 32 °C than after room temperature acclimation (0.22 ± 0.19 vs 0.13 ± 0.17 °C, p = 0.05), was not related to outdoor temperature (r = −0.35, p = 0.07), did not correlate with supraclavicular fat (r = −0.26, p = 0.21) measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and was repeatable [ICC 0.69 (0.14–0.72)]. Acclimation at 32 °C followed by cold generates a reproducible change in supraclavicular skin temperature measurable by thermal imaging that may be indicative of BAT metabolic activity.

The existence of yawning across a diverse array of species has led many researchers to postulate its neurological significance. One hypothesis, which has garnered recent support, posits that yawns function to cool the brain by flushing hyperthermic blood away from the skull while simultaneously introducing a cooler arterial supply. The current study tested this hypothesis by examining how manipulations aimed at modifying carotid artery temperature, which in turn directly alters cranial temperature, influences contagious yawning in humans. Participants held either a warm (46 °C), cold (4 °C) or room temperature (22 °C) pack firmly to their neck, just over their carotid arteries, for a period of five minutes prior to watching a contagious yawning stimulus. Thermographic imaging verified that these manipulations produced predicted changes in temperature at the superomedial orbital area, a region previously used as a noninvasive measure of brain temperature (i.e., the brain temperature tunnel). As predicted by past research, both the urge to yawn and overall yawn frequency significantly diminished in the cooling condition (p

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of strength and stretching exercises on upper crossed syndrome. [Subjects and Methods] After measuring cervical alignment using the Global Posture System, 30 students with forward head posture were selected and divided into two groups. The experimental group (n=15) participated in strength and stretching exercises, three times per week for 4 weeks. The control group (n=15) did not participate in the exercises. The exercise program comprised middle and lower trapezius strength exercises and levator scapulae and upper trapezius stretching exercises. The temperature of the posterior neck was then measured using digital infrared thermographic imaging. [Results] There was a significant difference between the pretest and posttest results in the experimental group, and a significant difference in posterior neck temperature between the two groups. [Conclusion] This study showed that middle and lower trapezius strength exercises and levator scapulae and upper trapezius stretching exercises are more effective for upper crossed syndrome.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S, 80 ppm) gas in an atmosphere of 17.5% oxygen reportedly induces suspended animation in mice; a state analogous to hibernation that entails hypothermia and hypometabolism. However, exogenous H2S in combination with 17.5% oxygen is able to induce hypoxia, which in itself is a trigger of hypometabolism/hypothermia. Using non-invasive thermographic imaging, we demonstrated that mice exposed to hypoxia (5% oxygen) reduce their body temperature to ambient temperature. In contrast, animals exposed to 80 ppm H2S under normoxic conditions did not exhibit a reduction in body temperature compared to normoxic controls. In conclusion, mice induce hypothermia in response to hypoxia but not H2S gas, which contradicts the reported findings and putative contentions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the suitability of infrared thermography in assessing healing of surgically created wounds that are managed by primary closure or second intention in neonatal dairy calves during a 3‐week period. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. ANIMALS: Six Jersey bull calves. METHODS: Two skin patches approximately 10 cm² were shaved on each hind limb of all calves. The dorsal patch was designated the wound creation site, and the ventral patch was the control. The wound creation sites were randomly assigned for either primary closure or healing by second intention. Wounds were created by using an 8‐mm biopsy punch. Thermographic imaging was performed prior to wound creation and at 0 minutes; 15 minutes; 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours; and 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days postwounding. RESULTS: There were no differences in skin temperature changes observed between wounds that were managed by primary closure or second intention (P = .9934) at any time. Time after wound creation had an effect on the skin temperature (P

We describe the intraoperative non-invasive use of an infrared (IR) camera to monitor Del Nido cardioplegia delivery in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Thermal pictures were taken pre- and post-cardioplegia and at timed points after arrest, and compared to readings from a transseptal temperature probe. There was good concordance between the transseptal probe and the IR camera temperature readings. This non-invasive technique, which assesses cardioplegic distribution, may help to determine when additional doses of Del Nido cardioplegia are required during periods of cardioplegic arrest.

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd The importance of using infrared thermography (IRT) to assess skin temperature (t sk ) is increasing in clinical settings. Recently, its use has been increasing in sports and exercise medicine; however, no consensus guideline exists to address the methods for collecting data in such situations. The aim of this study was to develop a checklist for the collection of t sk using IRT in sports and exercise medicine. We carried out a Delphi study to set a checklist based on consensus agreement from leading experts in the field. Panelists (n = 24) representing the areas of sport science (n = 8; 33%), physiology (n = 7; 29%), physiotherapy (n = 3; 13%) and medicine (n = 6; 25%), from 13 different countries completed the Delphi process. An initial list of 16 points was proposed which was rated and commented on by panelists in three rounds of anonymous surveys following a standard Delphi procedure. The panel reached consensus on 15 items which encompassed the participants’ demographic information, camera/room or environment setup and recording/analysis of t sk using IRT. The results of the Delphi produced the checklist entitled “Thermographic Imaging in Sports and Exercise Medicine (TISEM)” which is a proposal to standardize the collection and analysis of t sk data using IRT. It is intended that the TISEM can also be applied to evaluate bias in thermographic studies and to guide practitioners in the use of this technique.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of different sitting positions on the skin temperature of the lower extremity. [Subjects] The subjects of this study were 23 healthy university students (8 males, 15 females). [Methods] Normal sitting (NS), upper leg cross (ULC) and ankle on knee (AOK) positions were conducted to measure the changes in skin temperature using digital infrared thermographic imaging (DITI). [Results] ULC upper ankle, NS upper shin, ULC upper shin and NS lower shin showed significant declines in temperature with time. [Conclusion] These finding suggest that the ULC and NS sitting positions cause decline of blood flow volume to the lower extremity resulting in decrease of temperature of the lower extremity. Especially, sitting with the legs crossed interferes with the circulation of blood flowing volume much more than just sitting in a chair.

Definition of “normal temperature” is controversial in many text books on dermatology and physiology and depends on many factors. Thermographic imaging of the hands was performed in 50 healthy volunteers on four different days with an interval of 48-72 hours summing up to a total of 200 measurements. Infrared thermograms were gathered at defined points in each person after an acclimatization period of 30 minutes under standardized conditions according to the recommendations of the American Academy of Thermology. Despite of an acclimatization period of 30 minutes a decrease of temperature in the monitored area independent of gender could be observed. Initial surface temperature after the acclimatization period in these healthy probands ranged from 25.2 to 33.8°C (31.6 ± 2.1°C, median 32.2°C). Severe intra- and interindividual temperature differences could be detected despite standardized room conditions. Skin temperature varies greatly between and within individuals. Contactfree infrared thermography may improve detection of areas with altered perfusion if a symmetrical scan is performed. Nevertheless, screening patients on their general surface temperature does not provide any beneficial information in diagnosing or differentiating diseases unless a certain pathology is suspected in a particular area. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18073/2358-4696/pajmt.v1n1p43-49

A Case Report of Cold Hypersensitivity of Hands, Feet and Low AbdomenYoung-Jin Yun, Jin-Moo Lee, Chang-Hoon LeeJun-Bock Jang, Kyung-Sub Lee, Deok-Sang HwangDept. of Oriental Gynecology, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung-Hee UniversityPurpose: The purpose of this study is to report the effect on cold hype rsensitivity of hands, feet and low abdomen by Sasang constitutional treatme nt. For this purpose, the effects of a treatment were measured quantitatively using D igital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI). Methods: It was a case of report, the patient was a 25-year-old female w hose chief complaint was cold hypersensitivity of hands and feet and low abdomem. We treated the patient with Sasang constitutional treatment, an d the effect of a treatment was evaluated by DITI. Results: After Sasang constitutional treatment, the differences of temp erature of hands, feet and low abdomem were decreased on DITI screening , respectively. Conclusions: Sasang constitutional treatment on cold hypersensitivity of ha nds, feet and low abdomen is effective. Further studies on diagnosis tools of low abdomen cold hypersensitivity are needed. Key Words: Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI), Cold Hypersensi tivity of Hands, Feet and Low Abdomen, Sasang Constitution

MethodsEight male New Zealand white rabbits with average weight of 3kg were used. A 10 x 10 cm unipedicled fasciocutaneous island flap was elevated based on the left superficial inferior epigastric vessel. The surface temperatures on designed flap were checked with DITI for 24 hours after the operation. On 14th day after the operation, the surviving area was measured and compared with DITI image which was taken on 24 hours after the operation using digital analysis software ImageJ. Statistical analysis was evaluated by paired T-test ResultsOn DITI image 24 hours after the flap elevation, distal portion of the flap showed remarkable color change. The average percentage and the standard deviation of the survival area of the flap which is predicted by DITI and the average percentage and the standard deviation of the survival area of the flap which was actually measured 2 weeks after flap elevation were 55.3 (16.6), 56.2 (18.0), respectively. This shows no significant difference between the two. ObjectivesMonitoring viability of flap is important. The flap survival depends on the vascularity of the flap, on which the skin temperature depends. The authors applied digital infrared thermographic imaging (DITI) for monitoring the vascular supply of the flap and for the prediction of the prognosis of the flap survival. MethodsEight male New Zealand white rabbits with average weight of 3kg were used. A 10 x 10 cm unipedicled fasciocutaneous island flap was elevated based on the left superficial inferior epigastric vessel. The surface temperatures on designed flap were checked with DITI for 24 hours after the operation. On 14th day after the operation, the surviving area was measured and compared with DITI image which was taken on 24 hours after the operation using digital analysis software ImageJ. Statistical analysis was evaluated by paired T-test ResultsOn DITI image 24 hours after the flap elevation, distal portion of the flap showed remarkable color change. The average percentage and the standard deviation of the survival area of the flap which is predicted by DITI and the average percentage and the standard deviation of the survival area of the flap which was actually measured 2 weeks after flap elevation were 55.3 (16.6), 56.2 (18.0), respectively. This shows no significant difference between the two. ConclusionsThis study shows that DITI system could be used in evaluation of flap vascularity with ease, quickness and safety for patient and flap. Thus, it could be used clinically for the prediction of flap survival.

Non-invasive methods to monitor tumour growth are an important goal in cancer drug development. Thermographic imaging systems offer potential in this area, since a change in temperature is known to be induced due to changes within the tumour microenvironment. This study demonstrates that this imaging modality can be applied to a broad range of tumour xenografts and also, for the first time, the methodology’s suitability to assess anti-cancer agent efficacy. Mice bearing subcutaneously implanted H460 lung cancer xenografts were treated with a novel vascular disrupting agent, ICT-2552 and the cytotoxin doxorubicin. The effects on tumour temperature were assessed using thermographic imaging over the first 6 hours post-administration and subsequently a further 7 days. For ICT-2552 a significant initial temperature drop was observed, whilst for both agents a significant temperature drop was seen compared to controls over the longer time period. Thus thermographic imaging can detect functional differences (manifesting as temperature reductions) in the tumour response to these anti-cancer agents compared to controls. Importantly, these effects can be detected in the first few hours following treatment and therefore the tumour is observable non-invasively. As discussed, this technique will have considerable 3Rs benefits in terms of reduction and refinement of animal use.

Estrogren and progesterone hormone receptor status play a role in the treatment planning and prognosis of breast cancer. These are typically found after Immuno-Histo-Chemistry (IHC) analysis of the tumor tissues after surgery. Since breast cancer and hormone receptor status affect thermographic images, we attempt to estimate the hormone receptor status before surgery through non-invasive thermographic imaging. We automatically extract novel features from the thermographic images that would differentiate hormone receptor positive tumors from hormone receptor negative tumors, and classify them though machine learning. We obtained a good accuracy of 82 % and 79 % in classification of HR\(+\) and HR− tumors, respectively, on a dataset consisting of 56 subjects with breast cancer. This shows a novel application of automatic thermographic classification in breast cancer prognosis.

The feasibility of thermographic imaging to diagnose pediatric fractures has been studied in the last years. The advantages lie in being a cost-effective, non-harmful, non-contact and non-invasive technique, since ionizing radiations are not used to get the image. Once the pictures of the affected limb are taken, the processing becomes necessary. In order to reduce the waiting time, a software tool has been developed to provide a diagnosis shortly after taking the image. Sin financiación No data (2016) UEV

Thermographic imaging is a measurement of a body surface temperature distribution. The symmetry of the skin temperature distribution is an important indicator of proper physiological body functions. Improper distribution brings information about the disorders which might be the first signals of a developing disease. In recent years, the dynamic expansion of thermographic imaging Is observed in many medical areas such as rheumatology, neurology, rehabilitation, orthopaedics, oncology and sports medicine. Thermography allows to visualize initial patho-physiological changes which are still too small to be detected by any other anatomy imaging techniques which are widely used. It is a valuable addition to standard imaging methods and allows to monitor the therapeutic process (both pharmacological and physiotherapeutic) in a non-stress and, what is particularly important, non-invasive way. Obrazowanie termograficzne to pomiar rozkładu temperatury na badanej powierzchni ciała. Symetria rozkładu temperatury skóry jest ważnym wskaźnikiem prawidłowej fizjologii ludzkiego organizmu. Nieprawidłowy rozkład temperatury informuje natomiast o zaburzeniach fizjologicznych, które mogą być początkiem stanu chorobowego. Obecnie zauważany jest dynamiczny rozwój termografii w różnych dziadzinach medycyny, między innymi: reumatologii, neurologii, rehabilitacji, ortopedii, onkologii czy medycynie sportowej. Termografia pozwala na obrazowanie zmian patofizjologicznych, zanim inne techniki obrazowania anatomicznego będą w stanie wykryć zaburzenie w organizmie. Stanowi cenne uzupełnienie dotychczas stosowanych metod obrazowania oraz pozwala na monitorowanie prowadzonego leczenia farmakologicznego lub fizjoterapeutycznego w sposób bezstresowy i – co najważniejsze – bezinwazyjny. Natalia Ptak

Background: Infrared thermographic imaging (IRTG) is a safe and reliable technology used to monitor skin temperature. The main aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between skin temperature changes and muscle fatigue in order to answer the main research question if IRTG can be used to monitor muscle fatigue. Methods: This was a case study performed on a 23-year-old trained middle distance runner. After warm-up the subject was exercising on the dynamometer for 7.5 min at 120°/s performing only concentric contractions of quadriceps. At the same time IRTG recording of both (exercising and non-exercising) quadriceps was performed. Results: A correlational analysis that was performed in order to quantify the relationship between power and temperature change over time has shown that there is a significant negative correlation between skin temperature increase and power decrease (r = −0.543, p = 0.036) of exercising quadriceps. In linear regression model the exercising quadriceps power could be predicted from skin temperature. No such relationships were noted for the non-exercising limb that served as a control. Conclusion: We believe that correlation between skin temperature change and muscle power output as described in this case study deserves further analysis on the larger sample including subjects of the different ages, health status, and physical abilities in order to create a new tool for monitoring the muscle fatigue. Keywords: Correlation, Fatigue, Isokinetic, Quadriceps, Strength, Thermographic imaging

The microbial etiology of gingivitis and marginal periodontitis is unanimously accepted, but several other factors have to be considered. There are many systemic conditions with unvarying manifestations at the level of the gums and deep periodontium; leukemias have varying rates of development, and in most cases a reserved prognosis. In leukemias, periodontal lesions are caused by various microbial factors, coupled with immunological modifications characteristic of the systemic condition and sometimes exacerbated by loco-regional leukocyte infiltration. If the periodontium is free of tumoral infiltrates, then periodontal lesions are easier to treat and the results are more stable. Loco-regional tumoral infiltration requires more sustained local treatment, able to diminish the spread and delay relapse of periodontal lesions. Diagnosing tumoral infiltrates at the level of the oral cavity is therefore of great importance. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging investigations are costly, especially when conducted repeatedly, and histopathological investigations are invasive and predispose to complications. A diagnostic alternative is thermographic imaging; this is useful in inflammations, infections and tumoral infiltrates, and can therefore be used in several distinct pathological medical conditions. Inflammatory and infectious lesions of the oral cavity can be treated locally, and their healing clinically objectified. In the absence of inflammation and infection, any modifications that arise could therefore be attributed with a high probability to loco-regional tumoral infiltrates. The study was conducted on 10 patients at the Fundeni Clinical Hospital, and documented pathological changes at the level of the periodontium, based on clinical, thermographic and histopathological observations. The results suggest that thermographic imaging could be used to reveal possible oral leukemic infiltrates when performed after therapeutic remission of specific infectious and inflammatory periodontal lesions.

The heating of tissues by diagnostic ultrasound can pose a significant hazard particularly in the imaging of the unborn child. The demonstration of the temperature field in tissue is therefore an important objective in the teaching of biomedical physics to healthcare professionals. The temperature field in a soft tissue model was made visible and measured using thermography. Temperature data from the images were used to investigate the dependence of temperature increase within the model on ultrasound exposure time and distance from the transducer. The experiment will be used within a multi-professional biomedical physics teaching laboratory for enhancing learning regarding the principles of thermography and the thermal effects of ultrasound to medical and healthcare students and also for demonstrating the quantitative use of thermographic imaging to students of biophysics, medical physics and medical technology.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms can reduce quality of life and impair daily functioning. This study examined the effects of Korean hand acupuncture therapy (HAT) and hand moxibustion therapy (HMT) on symptom severity in Korean women with PMS. This quasi-experimental pilot study based on the khi, yin, yang, and the five elements theory used a nonequivalent control group pretest—posttest design. Experimental groups received 10 sessions of either HAT or HMT treatment. Outcome measures included menstrual symptom severity as measured with the Menstrual Symptom Severity List and skin temperature change measured with Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging. Both experimental groups had significantly reduced overall PMS symptom severity scores following therapy as compared to women in the control group. The HMT but not the HAT group showed improved flow of khi and balanced skin temperature in symmetric body areas. HAT and HMT may be effective strategies for women to reduce PMS symptoms.

This pilot study was designed to verify whether the spraying of coolant improves initial cooling in extensive burns. The cooling effects of 1l of sprayed water and 5l of poured water (at 22 degrees C) were tested; 53 healthy participants were cooled for 15 min over 18% of their total body surface, twice. Thermographic imaging measured the loss of skin temperature and assessed the homogeneity of cooling. With sprayed coolant the mean decrease of skin temperature was significantly higher (p < 0.003) throughout the entire cooling period and more homogeneous for the first 9 min (p < 0.003), compared with poured coolant. Infrared tympanic thermometry estimated core body temperature; neither poured nor sprayed water caused hypothermia. Even with a fifth of the volume of poured water, sprayed water cooled more efficiently. Thus, we conclude that spraying of coolant improves initial management.

We prospectively evaluated 100 patients with unilateral impingement syndrome, before they underwent an arthroscopic subacromial decompression, to detect the relationship between clinical and operative findings and digital infrared thermographic imaging (DITI) findings in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. The DITI system was used to measure the temperature of each patient's upper body, and the relative temperature values between involved and the uninvolved sides were used for analysis. A control group of 30 subjects without impingement syndrome was also evaluated. In DITI findings, 73% of patients had abnormal thermal changes in more than 1 of the 4 regions of interest: 51% displayed hypothermia, and 22% had hyperthermia. In the hypothermic group, limitation of shoulder motion was more prominent than in the hyperthermic and normal groups (P.05). Other clinical findings did not correlate with the DITI findings, however. DITI can be used to reflect shoulder stiffness objectively in impingement syndrome, especially in those cases with a hypothermic thermal pattern.

This study investigated the temperature changes at acupuncture points resulting from a weight reduction program. A standard method using a digital infrared thermographic imaging device was employed to monitor the temperature at 20 acupuncture points in 32 participants treated for obesity at an Oriental obesity clinic. There were significant temperature increases at all of the acupuncture points except for LI4 (Hegu) and TE5 (Waiguan). The mean total temperature change at the acupuncture points was significantly correlated with the BMI change (r = .588, p < .001). The weight-reduction-induced increase in temperature at acupuncture points may reflect improvements in the circulation of energy flows. However, further study is necessary to understand fully the relationship between the temperature at acupuncture points and weight reduction, including the use of appropriate controls.

Objective To investigate changes in the core temperature and body surface temperature in patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries (SCI). In incomplete SCI, the temperature change is difficult to see compared with complete spinal cord injuries. The goal of this study was to better understand thermal regulation in patients with incomplete SCI. Methods Fifty-six SCI patients were enrolled, and the control group consisted of 20 healthy persons. The spinal cord injuries were classified according to International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury. The patients were classified into two groups: upper (neurological injury level T6 or above) and lower (neurological injury level T7 or below) SCIs. Body core temperature was measured using an oral thermometer, and body surface temperature was measured using digital infrared thermographic imaging. Results Twenty-nine patients had upper spinal cord injuries, 27 patients had lower SCIs, and 20 persons served as the normal healthy persons. Comparing the skin temperatures of the three groups, the temperatures at the lower abdomen, anterior thigh and anterior tibia in the patients with upper SCIs were lower than those of the normal healthy persons and the patients with lower SCIs. No significant temperature differences were observed between the normal healthy persons and the patients with lower SCIs. Conclusion In our study, we found thermal dysregulation in patients with incomplete SCI. In particular, body surface temperature regulation was worse in upper SCIs than in lower injuries. Moreover, cord injury severity affected body surface temperature regulation in SCI patients.

Background: The study was designed to determine the efficacy of OraDiscTM (active component 2 mg amlexanox) on the prevention of aphthous ulcers treated at the prodromal stage. Methods: Thermographic imaging was used to confirm the presence of a prodromal ulcer. Fifty-two patients were randomized to receive OraDiscTM (N = 26) or vehicle patches (N = 26). Patches were applied four times a day for 72 h over the prodromal area. The percentage of subjects who developed an ulcer at 72 h was compared between groups using the Fisher's exact test. Results: About 50% of subjects in the OraDiscTM group developed an ulcer by day 4 compared with 69% in the vehicle group. Erythema score, ulcer size, pain scores and thermographically active area and temperature all showed trends towards healing in the OraDiscTM group. Conclusion: The OraDiscTM prevents ulcers from developing when compared with the vehicle patch.

Objective : This study was designed to find out the effect of seven acupoints of stroke in cerebrovascular hemiplegia patients. Methods : This study was performed on 6 patients with cerebrovascular hemiplegia (test group) and 6 health persons(control group). We measured temperature of skin surface of test and control group using digital infrared thermographic imaging(D.I.T.I.) after acupunture on seven acupoints of stroke. And we calculated difference of skin temperature between healthful and affected side for each groups. Results : There was significant difference in area 3 in both two groups between before and after acupuncture. But in general there was no significant difference between two groups on thermographic change. Conclusions : This is pilot study, so further studies are required to find out the effect of seven acupoints of stroke in cerebrovascular hemiplegia patients.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical effect of Hwangryunhaedok-tang Herbal-Acupuncture. Hwangryunhaedok-tang is used in all heating diseases. Chest Heating Sensation is a unique concept in Oriental Medicine. So we applied Hwangryunhaedok-tang Herbal-Acupuncture to treat the Chest Heating Sensation. We used DITI(Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging) to estimate the temperatures of chest surface for the outcome assessment. We came to know that the chest surface temperatures were all reduced in both cases after Herbal-Acupuncture treatment. The reduced average temperature was 1.5℃ in case 1 and 0.9℃ in case 2. The above result indicates that Hwangryunhaedok-tang Herbal-Acupuncture treatment has an effect on Chest Heating Sensation, thus continuous Hwangryunhaedok-tang Herbal-Acupuncture study will be needed for more clinical applications.

Introduction: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an efficient procedure for treatment of intractable pain. Methods: We present a patient who underwent SCS lead placement for severe left lower extremity pain. The patient had experienced good pain. He underwent thermographic imaging before, just after and ten days later of procedure. Results: Thermogram study revealed from blue color (hypothermic) pattern at before procedure to reddish or pink color (hyperthermic) pattern at ten days later. Discussion: SCS may be increase microcirculation and seems to have sympatholytic effects. Conclusion: We experienced that improvement of blood flow as result of SCS in CRPS.

Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) is a valuable technique used in medicine for cancer treatment. It is a fact that many of the incidents and accidents involve only partial body irradiation and the extremities are the most frequently injured parts of the body. As it is still not general practice to use infrared (IR) thermographic imaging for the more precise diagnosis of local injuries, the availability of these techniques is very rarely mentioned in the publications. In this paper attention is drawn to what was introduced more than a decade ago, namely the use of IR thermographic procedures in diagnosing local radiation injuries. Further justification for introducing these techniques is that, in the relevant cases, the assessment of absorbed radiation dose through the widely known biological indicators or biological dosimetry assays is not always possible.

The skin islands of musculocutaneous flaps are nourished by perforating arteries. An easy method for accurately locating these vessels preoperatively would be valuable in flap design. Thermography is being developed in our center as a tool to locate the perforating vessels, which appear as “hot spots” on thermographic images. The abdominal perforators of 16 women were mapped out after warming or cooling the skin with COLDI-micro thermocushions. In group I (n=8) the thermo packs were applied to the lower abdominal skin for 30 s and in group II (n=8) for 300 s. In both groups all hot spots disappeared after warming. After cooling, the hot spots were clearer and more readily visible than at room temperature. The longer cooling time (300 s) gave a 3.4 times better contrast (p=0.03) than the shorter cooling time (30 s). The longer the cooling time, the longer the hot spots were visible. This work shows that cutaneous perforators can be sharply mapped preoperatively using thermography after simple bed-side cooling.

Infrared thermographic imaging (ITI) is the most sensitive objective imaging currently available for the detection of back disease in horses. It is, however, only a physiological study primarily of vasomotor tone overlying other superficial tissue factors. Interpretation requires extreme care in imaging protocol and in understanding the significance of altered sympathetic nervous tone and the sympathetic distribution. Most discussions on back pain have centered on nociception and inflammatory events. ITI provides information and localization for more significant than diagnosing areas of hot spots. Chronic back pain usually involves vasoconstriction at the affected sites and from ITI studies in man, we have an opportunity to appreciate chronic pain phenomena that involves non-inflammatory events. These occur commonly in horses, but are still seldom recognized and treated.

Reasons for performing study Infrared imaging is becoming popular as an aid to traditional diagnostic tools, its repeatability under practically relevant conditions is still discussed. Objectives We hypothesise that time of day, ambient temperature and relative humidity affect thermography readings, and that there is no difference between values from left and right side. Study design Repeated thermography in a convenience sample. Methods Fifteen sound horses were thermographically imaged at 3 time points in the same day (08.00, 12.00 and 16.00 h). Images were taken of the following regions: neck, carpus, distolateral thoracic limbs (cranial and tendon areas), thoracolumbar, pelvis, hock and pelvic limb tendons. Relative humidity and ambient temperature were recorded for each session. Results There was a significant difference between the temperature readings during the 3 imaging sessions in all areas (Friedman and Kruskal–Wallis; all P 0.057). Conclusions Time of day, ambient temperature and relative humidity must be considered when using infrared imaging. Variations between the left and right sides of the horse can occur and should be considered during the analysis of pathological asymmetry. Ethical animal research: Ethical approval was granted from the Royal Veterinary College Ethics and Welfare committee as part of the first and second author's final year research project. Source of funding: Funding was provided by the Royal Veterinary College as part of the first and second authors' final year research project. Competing interests: None declared.

Clinical interventions can cause changes in tissue perfusion, oxygenation or temperature. Real-time imaging of these phenomena could be useful for surgical strategy or understanding of physiological regulation mechanisms. Two noncontact imaging techniques were applied for imaging of large tissue areas: LED based multispectral imaging (MSI, 17 different wavelengths 370 nm-880 nm) and thermal imaging (7.5 to 13.5 μm). Oxygenation concentration changes were calculated using different analyzing methods. The advantages of these methods are presented for stationary and dynamic applications. Concentration calculations of chromophores in tissue require right choices of wavelengths The effects of different wavelength choices for hemoglobin concentration calculations were studied in laboratory conditions and consequently applied in clinical studies. Corrections for interferences during the clinical registrations (ambient light fluctuations, tissue movements) were performed. The wavelength dependency of the algorithms were studied and wavelength sets with the best results will be presented. The multispectral and thermal imaging systems were applied during clinical intervention studies: reperfusion of tissue flap transplantation (ENT), effectiveness of local anesthetic block and during open brain surgery in patients with epileptic seizures. The LED multispectral imaging system successfully imaged the perfusion and oxygenation changes during clinical interventions. The thermal images show local heat distributions over tissue areas as a result of changes in tissue perfusion. Multispectral imaging and thermal imaging provide complementary information and are promising techniques for real-time diagnostics of physiological processes in medicine.

Background Microcirculatory impairment in patients with Raynaud9s phenomenon (RP) may be assessed by different techniques, but real-life data concerning their roles and current usage are not available. Objectives To obtain an overview of the specific techniques which may be used for the assessment of adult patients with RP in clinical and research settings: nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC), dermoscopy, stereomicroscopy, and digital USB microscopy, laser Doppler flowmetry, imaging, and anemometry/velocimetry, laser Speckle Contrast Analysis (LASCA), thermographic imaging, upper limb arterial Doppler ultrasound. Methods This survey was conducted online between October and December 2015 on behalf of EULAR study group on Microcirculation in Rheumatic Diseases (SG_MC/RD). Emails with a link to the survey were sent to physicians from the European Scleroderma Trials and Research group (EUSTAR) and SG_MC/RD mailing lists. Of those e-mailed, 418 were physicians looking after adult patients, and this group was considered in the following descriptive analysis. Results Of the 418 eligible physicians, 107 completed the survey, giving an overall response rate of 25.6%. Among the respondents 89 (83.2%) were rheumatologists, 74 (69.2%) European; 87 (81.3%) were practising for more than 10 years and 50% looked after between 31 and 60 patients per year with primary and/or secondary RP. The most routinely performed technique was NVC (63/107, 58.9%) both by rheumatologists and non-rheumatologists (54/89, 60.7% and 9/18, 50.0%). NVC was reported as the most available technique (93/107, 86.9%), and available in the place of work in 78/107 (72.9%) among both rheumatologists and non-rheumatologists. Nailfold capillaroscopy was the most frequently performed by the physician him/herself by using different types of equipment relating to availability: NVC 64/94 (68.0%), dermoscopy 38/63 (60.3%), stereomicroscopy 31/42 (73.8%), and digital USB microscopy 34/39 (87.1%). Most rheumatologists reported high levels of “appropriateness” for NVC in both clinical and research settings for global assessment (86/88, 97.7% clinical setting, 87/88, 98.9% research setting), and differential diagnosis of primary and secondary RP (clinical and research setting both 84/87 96.5%). In clinical setting NVC showed the highest percentage of appropriateness for monitoring primary RP (84/88, 95.4%), RP secondary to connective tissue diseases other than systemic sclerosis (82/87, 94.2%) and to systemic sclerosis (87/87, 100%). All techniques other than capillaroscopy reached a consensus lower than 2/3 of respondents based on their knowledge/experience. In research setting, all techniques were judged as potentially useful with a consensus more than 2/3 of respondents. Conclusions Of all the different techniques upon which opinion was sought, nailfold capillaroscopy was the one most used by physicians looking after adult patients in both clinical and research settings, the majority of whom use NVC in their everyday practice. The low proportion of clinicians using other techniques suggests that these are currently confined to specialist centres. Disclosure of Interest None declared

Friction blisters on the foot are a debilitating pathology that have an impact on activities of daily living and can severely impair function. The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that digital infrared thermographic imaging will reveal: 1) a correlation between load application to the skin and the creation of blisters, and 2) a correlation between thermographic readings and contact thermometric temperatures.Apparatus was developed to cause the formation of heel blisters through controlled load application (70 kPa). One foot of each of the 30 healthy volunteers (21 men and 9 women), with an age range of 31 ± 8 years, was subjected to load until a blister formed, after which load application ceased and temperature measurements were taken at set times during the following 5.5 h. Temperature measurements were also taken using a contact thermometer.The majority of the participants (77%) blistered within 18 min of load application. All the blisters created showed significant increases in local temperature compared to baseline during blister creation (P0.001) and 30 min post-blister creation (P0.001). There was a strong correlation between contact thermometry and thermographic temperature data (r8).These results suggest that thermographic images may prove useful for the remote assessment of traumatically damaged foot skin.

To assess changes in facial skin temperature over time, to identify sources of variation related to skin temperature and to evaluate interobserver reproducibility in measurements of the thermograms.62 volunteers (32 females, 30 males, mean age 23.4, range 19.5-29.5 years) underwent thermography of the face (left and right side lateral images) on four occasions with approximately 2 months between each session. Three observers recorded the images and marked regions of interest (ROIs) in each image using dedicated software. Smoking, exercise habits and use of oral contraceptives were recorded.A significant difference between sessions (≤1 °C, p0.001) and between observers (≤0.11 °C, p0.001) was identified. The difference between sides was not significant (≤0.07 °C, p=0.7). None of the interactions between side, session and observer were significant. Smoking, exercise habits and oral contraceptive intake were not significant impact factors when included as covariates in the analysis (p0.1). ROI temperature was significantly higher in males than in females (0.7 °C, p0.001). A mixed model analysis of variance showed that observer had little impact on the expected standard deviation, whereas session and subject had a greater impact.Face temperature is symmetrical and varies over time. The non-significant difference between sides is highly reproducible, even between observers.