• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.50-54
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• 2014

Objectives: Digital infrared thermographic imaging (DITI) has been used widely for various inflammatory diseases, circulatory diseases, skin diseases, musculoskeletal diseases and cancers. In cases of ligament injury, obviously the temperature of the damaged area increases due to local inflammation; however, whether the temperature also increases due to DITI has not been determined. The purpose of the present study was to identify whether or not the changes of temperature in patient's with medial collateral ligament injury were really due to infrared thermography and to determine the applicability of DITI for assessing ligament injuries. Methods: Twenty patient's who underwent DITI for a medial collateral ligament injury from September 2012 to June 2014 were included in the current study. The thermographic images from the patient's knees were divided to cover seven sub-areas: the middle of the patella, and the inferomedial, the inferolateral, the superomedial, the superolateral, the medial, and the lateral regions of patella. The temperatures of the seven regions were measured, and the temperature differences between affected and unaffected regions were analyzed by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: The 20 patient's were composed of 14 women (70%) and 6 men (30%), with a mean age of $62.15{\pm}15.71$ (mean${\pm}$standard deviation (SD)) years. The temperature of the affected side, which included the middle of the patella, and the inferomedial, the superomedial, the superolateral, and the medial regions, showed a significant increase compared to that of the unaffected side (P < 0.05). The inferolateral and the lateral regions showed no significant changes. Conclusion: Our study results suggest that DITI can show temperature changes if a patient has a ligament injury and that it can be applied in the evaluation of a medial collateral ligament injury.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.24-38
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• 2002

This study was undertaken to examine the effects of acupuncture at LI4 on temperature changes of the facial surface randomly divided into 17 areas. The volunteers who participating in this study had taken rest for 20 - 30 min in room temperature ($23-25^{\circ}C$) before acupuncture and informed them what to prohibit smoking, drinking and drug for the previous one day. The Temperature of facial surface was measured by using Digital Thermography IR 2000 (Meridian Co., Korea) at 5 min before and immediately, 5, 10, and 15 min after acupuncture on LI4. The results of this study showed that there was no significancy in thermal changes of facial surface randomly divided into 17 areas, but different significantly in the aggregate changes at the difference of the thermal changes on facial surface (p < 0.001). The difference of aggregate change was increased time-dependent and the changes at 1st, 3rd, and 13th area were comparatively smaller than the other areas. However, the changes at 6th, 8th, 10th and 15th area were more increased than the others. This study suggests that acupuncture at LI 4 help human being increase the reaction to maintain thermal homeostasis in facial surface and the ability to treat at these area's disease.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.70-75
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of infrared thermography in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome by comparing with electrodiagnostic and ultrasonographic findings. Method: From January 2014 to October 2017, electrodiagnosis, ultrasound, and digital infrared thermal image (DITI) of unilateral carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed in a single hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The subjects with bilateral symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, thyroid disease, fibromyalgia, rheumatic disease, systemic infection, inflammation, malignant tumor, and other musculoskeletal disorders such as finger osteoarthritis, peripheral neuropathy, cervical radiculopathy, and the previous history of surgery were excluded. Results: Of 53 patients diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, 11 were male and 42 were female. The visual analogue scale was 4.9 ± 1.9, and the duration of symptom was 11.8 ± 12.5 months. There was no statistically significant difference in the body surface temperature between the unaffected and affected sides. The severity of symptoms, electrodiagnostic findings, and cross-sectional area of the median nerve significantly correlates to each other. The temperature difference between the second fingers of the affected and unaffected sides showed a weak correlation with the amplitude of sensory nerve action potential and onset latency of compound muscle action potential, when there was no significant correlation with the other parameters. Conclusion: The difference in temperature on the surface of the body, which can be confirmed by DITI, is little diagnostic value when DITI is performed in unilateral carpal tunnel syndrome patients, especially when compared with ultrasonography.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2017

As the Non Destructive Test (NDT) for the welded structure, PT(Penetration Test). MT(Magnetic Test), RT (Radioisotope Test) and UT(Ultrasonic Test) methods are widely used in practice. These NDT methods have been developed toward high efficiency, low cost, real time, and high precise new NDT. For example, RT methods are developed to CT(Computed Tomography)and DR(Digital Radiography), and UT metheds are developed into Phased array, Guide wave, TOFD method. Moreover, the Infrared thermography and Laser ultrasonic technique are newly developed for applying in high temperature objects as the non-contact NDT methods. In this review paper the new high efficiency NDT methods for the welded structure are introduced and the trend of NDT rules applying in welded structure are described.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-39
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• 1997

Shoulder hand syndrome is characterized by pain, vasomotor instability, and tenderness, mainly in the distal upper extremity. The pathophysiologic mechanism of this syndrome is not yet proved. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of thermographic imaging on shoulder hand syndrome after stroke for early diagnosis and its clinical pattern analysis including acupuncture and electroacupuncture therapy. This study was performed from June to September in 1996 on 46 stroke patients who were admitted at Oriental hospital of Kyung Hee Medical Center. The study group were 23 patients with shoulder hand syndrome. The control group were 23 patients without shoulder hand syndrome. Skin temperatures on the both upper extremities were measured by Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(D.I.T.I.) before the study and 3 weeks later again. The results were as follows; 1. The shoulder hand syndrome group were significantly more restricted in shoulder passive range of motion than the control group. 2. The shoulder hand syndrome group showed significant temperature difference of both dorsal hands. 3. The electroacupunture therapy group were significantly more improved on the temperature difference of both dorsal hands than acupuncture therapy group in 3 weeks later. 4. Both posterior arms showed the biggest temperature difference from 11 to 30 days in shoulder hand syndrome group. 5. The lesser passive ROM(range of motion) of shoulder group showed significantly increased temperature difference of both hands. The above results show that measurement of shoulder passive range of motion and D.I.T.I. is a useful method for early diagnosis on shoulder hand syndrome and its clinical pattern analysis including evaluation of acupuncture and electroacupuncture therapy. Continuous study will be needed for more clinical application and evaluation on shoulder hand syndrome.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2017

Among 45 patients of herniation of intervertebral disc with $L_4$ to $L_5$ herniation, who underwent infrared thermography, the number of female was larger than male and the age of 50s was highest. From the results measured from the distribution table, we have confirmed that there was no significant difference depending on sex and age (p> 0.05). The region of the highest ROI temperature for patients with $L_4-L_5$ intervertebral disc prolapse was the back of the posterior right tibia, and followed by the back of the left shin bone-below the front right knee-below the front left knee. There was a significant difference depending on the measured site. The average ROI temperature for patients was $30.30{\pm}0.50$ whereas that for normal persons was $31.20{\pm}0.58$, yielding the temperature difference of $0.66{\pm}0.59$ between the two groups. The ROI of patients was lower than $31.20{\pm}0.58$ (p <0.05) because the significance of the sample, which has been obtained from the results of a sample t-test, was less than 0.05 (p <0.05). From further researches, it may necessary to develope the methodology for correcting data regarding thermal environment and, in addition, to develope a new thermal index based on it. Therefore, we can confirm that pre-treatment for infrared thermography is very important in order to minimize the procedure for correcting data. It is required that radiologists who inspect disc herniations should carefully observe and consider the patients during their measurements.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.121-124
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• 2002

This study was performed to examine the distribution of mean body surface temperature in 11 clinically healthy dogs. In stable state, ventral and dorsal part of each individual is scanned by digital infrared thermography. The body surface temperature of dorsocranial(DCr), dorsocaudal(DCd), ventrocranial(VCr) and ventrocaudal(VCd) regions were measured by Region Of Interersts(ROI). The mean body surface temperatures of adult dogs were higher than those of puppies in each regions. In addition mean body surface temperature of the ventral region was higher than that of dorsal region.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.75-87
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• 1999

We reported that acupuncture on $LI_4$ effected thermal change on $LI_4$ and ST25 area, And this study was performed on 100 healthy students to observe the effects of acupuncture at Hap-kok ($LI_4$) according to the meridian and qi-xue(氣血) phenomenon of oriental medicine's theory, The results was 1. In healthy man, mean skin temperatures of $LI_4$, ST25, CV12 areas(Control) were decreased, 2. In left $LI_4$ acupuncture group, the temperature of abdominal skin and $LI_4$ area had the tendency of increase, both right and left $LI_4$ acupuncture group, the temperature of abdominal skin and $LI_4$ area had not significant tendency. 3. In the research of thermal difference which eliminate a special region temperature, in the control group, the thermal changes had not significant tendency, in the left $LI_4$ acupuncture group and both right and left $LI_4$ acupuncture group, the thermal changes had tendency to be increased, 4. In the deviation analysis which mean of each group is excluded, in the control group, it turned out that deviation is regular for 10 minutes; in the left $LI_4$ acupuncture group and both right and left $LI_4$ acupuncture group, it turned out that deviation is more larger than the control group for 10 minutes. The above results indicates that Digital Thermography is a useful method to observe effects and changes by acupuncture stimulation on objective evaluation of phenomenon for the meridian system. Thus, acupuncture on $LI_4$ affects to thermal changes of the abdominal skin and $LI_4$ area, but exact examination of thermal changes on abdominal skin will have to be done.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was designed to analyze basic data for cold hypersensitivity patients with a questionnaire and investigate correlation between cold hypersensitivity and Heart Rate Variability(HRV). Methods : 49 patients who complain of cold hypersensitivity on hands and feet in ambulatory care were investigated in Oriental Gynecology, Kyunghee Oriental Medical Center and Women medical center, Kangnam Koreana hospital from May 1, 2006 to October 20, 2006. All patients were asked to answer a questionnaire. After careful I examination to rule out other disease which may affect Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging(DITI) and HRV data, patients were taken thermography for the diagnosis of cold hypersensitivity Based on the result of thermography, the patients were divided into two groups(Objective cold hypersensitivity and Subjective cold hypersensitivity). Then, these two groups were compared using HRV data which was measured in the supine position for 5 minutes. Results: 1. For most patients, cold hypersensitivity first developed during puberty. 2. The parts of the body that felt cold first time were hands and feet. 3. The cold sensation was increased in winter or at bedtime Showing that the sensation can be changed according to the level of coldness. 4. Among women who sufferfrom cold hypersensitivity, very few of them were treated. 5. More than half of cold hypersensitivity patients's family member also had a cold hypersensitivity. 6. The decrease in mean values of LF/HF ratio was observed in objective cold hypersensitivity group than subjective cold hypersensitivity group and the decrease was significant(P=0.014) when examined by Student t-test. Conclusions : It is necessary that the cold hypersensitivity patients should be treated carefully considering the facts mentioned above. And it can be suggested that dysautinomia be related with cold hypersensitivity and be evaluated by HRV.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the skin temperature over the exercised muscle and corresponding non-exercised muscle after unilateral isokinetic exercise using digital thermography. Thirty-two young healthy volunteers with no history of knee injury were tested. After isokinetic exercise at 60 degree per second angular velocity using the right leg in a climatic chamber at ambient temperature of $23-26^{\circ}C$, skin temperature of the anterior thigh was tested. After exercise, the skin temperature of both the right and left leg had fallen significantly. The skin temperature of the exercised leg fell less than that of the non-exercised leg. The fall in skin temperature after work was not due to increased evaporative cooling, but was the result of segmental vasoconstriction probably caused reflexly in the spinal cord by non-thermal afferents from exercising muscle or moving tissues. The effect of thermoregulatory vasodilation was reduced by reflex vasoconstriction caused by non-thermal factors such as catecholamine.