Abstract
Purpose: We aimed to determine the application of infrared thermal imaging (IRTI) as a novel, non-invasive technique in adjunctive diagnostic screening for lower limb deep venous thrombosis (DVT).
Methods: Comparing with either Doppler vascular compression ultrasonography or angiography, 64 DVT patients and 64 healthy volunteers were involved in.
Results: Qualitative pseudo-color analysis revealed DVT limbs had areas of abnormally high temperature. Of the 64 confirmed DVT patients, 62 (96.88%) were positive by IRTI detection. Among these 62 IRTI-positive cases, 53 (82.81%) showed PDC that agreed with the DVT regions. In nine patients (14.06%), IRTI PDC did not definitively agree with the DVT regions, but still correctly indicated the DVT-affected limb. There were a highly significant difference between DVT and non-DVT sides in DVT patients and between temperature differences in non-DVT volunteers and DVT patients (both P < 0.01).
Conclusion: IRTI can be effectively used in DVT detection and adjunctive diagnostic screening because of its specific infrared PDC and TD values.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015