Welcome to the launch of our new blog. IR Distributions are distributors of Medical Thermal Imaging systems, and providers of medical interpretation of the thermal images by board certified doctors (Clinical Thermologists)
What is Thermography – why is it useful?
Medical thermal imaging is an imaging method that detects infrared heat from the surface of the body – producing a visual heat-map display. The surface of the skin provides information that is directly influenced by complex metabolic and vascular activity, including micro-circulation, below the surface via the sympathetic nervous system. The patterns of activity vary in intensity and distribution over each body region, represented by images with variation in colours. Detection of variations in skin temperature allows for recognition of asymmetric, abnormal or suspicious thermal patterns over a specific area or region of interest. Changes of these patterns may be recognised by the interpreter as abnormal physiology or function.
Improved technology
The medical usefulness of thermography has been improved by a new generation of high-resolution cameras, leading to improved diagnostic capability. Small but meaningful changes in the thermal pattern can be properly assessed. These enhancements make infrared thermography a reliable and powerful measurement tool and opened opportunities for very precise measuring of subtle changes in skin surface temperature, enabling applications of thermography in medical areas like: Breast cancer, Peripheral vascular disease, Neuro-musculoskeletal disorders including spinal dysfunction, Extra-cranial cerebral and facial vascular disease, Thyroid gland abnormalities, Various other neoplastic, metabolic, inflammatory and dental conditions.