• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.159-170
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• 2001

The purpose of this pilot study was to identify the effects of hand moxibustion therapy to decrease pain and relieve coldness of the body in women who had a hysterectomy. The conceptual framework of this study was derived from Ying-Yang, Khi and other corresponding theories. The data were collected from February to May 1997. A Graphic Rating scale was used to measure the degree of pain and Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(D.I.T.I) was used to examine the degree of coldness. The subjects were women who resided in Seoul and had a hysterectomy within five years. An experimental group was composed of five women who received moxibustion and a control group was composed of five who did not. The research procedure began with having both the experimental group and control group describe their general characteristics and the degree of pain they perceived. Then, Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(D.I.T.I) was conducted. Moxibustion was only given to the experimental group on both hands twice every day for a total of five weeks. Their perception of pain and D.I.T.I were examined weekly. The control group received no therapy. After finishing therapy, the perception of pain and D.I.T.I for both groups were also measured. According to this study, moxibustion therapy resulted in a change of body temperature on the right shoulder joint(p=0.00074), abdomen(p= 0.0047), waist(p=0.0068) and hands(p=0.0317) respectively. Also, the study results showed significant decrease (p=0.0001) in pain over time and significant improvement over body coldness.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.62-75
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• 2017

Objectives : The aim of this study is to evaluate possibility of DITI as prognosis evaluation tool of facial palsy. Methods : We investigate prognosis of facial palsy through EMR(Electronic Medical Record) of inpatient from December 2016 to June 2017. We evaluated the sex, age distribution, length of hospital stay, paralysis site, number of treatment after discharge, change of H-B Grade at entrance and exit, temperature difference of both sides of DITI, and Nerve Conduction Study(NCS) with reference to EMR recorded symptom change. Results : 1. Significant correlations were not found between DITI and House-Brackmann Grade change, NCS(%), the date of admission. 2. There was a negative correlation between NCS(%) and hospitalization period in patients with facial palsy. The higher the NCS, the faster the recovery rate of facial palsy. 3. In patients with facial palsy, the temperature difference between the two sides after the DITI image shows that the affected side tends to be lower than the normal side. Conclusions : In this study, only DITI temperature difference between both sides of face is not significant in determining the prognosis of facial palsy. Further research is needed to conduct DITI at the same time and to improve accuracy through a sufficient assessment of the degree of facial palsy.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2004

Objective : The purposes of this study are to evaluate the efficacy of Bee Venom therapy(BV) on HNP(Herniation of Nucleus Purposus) of Lumbar spine by use of Visual Analog Scale(VAS), Pain Rating Scale(PRS) and Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(DITI), and to investigate their correlation. Methods : We researched 20 patients who were diagnosed by MRI as having a HNP, and treated them by Oriental medical therapy(including BV) for 4 weeks. The evaluation was peformed twice(admission day and after treatment for 4 weeks), and we compared the results. Results : 1. VAS, PRS and ${\Delta}t$(by DITI) were decreased after BV for 4 weeks significantly(p<0.01). 2. There was significant correlation between VAS and PRS(p<0.05). 3. There was significant correlation between PRS and ${\Delta}t$(p<0.05). 4. There was no significant correlation between VAS and ${\Delta}t$. Conclusions : BV improved HNP subjectively and objectively, and correlation was found between VAS and PRS and between PRS and ${\Delta}t$. Further study is needed for investigating their correlation.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 2010

Purpose : This study was performed to compare the characteristics of digital infrared thermographic imaging(DITI) in polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) patients with regulary cycling controls. Methods : We studied 19 patients visiting ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ korean hospital from 7th May 2010 to 8th January 2011. The subjects were categorized in two groups. 8 PCOS patients and 11 healthy regularly cycling controls. We investigated the difference of DITI between two groups by Mann-Whitney U-test using SPSS for window (version 17.0). Results : The average temperatures of five points(In-dang(EX-HN3), GV4, GV6, GV12, GV17) between PCOS and non-PCOS groups showed a little difference though p-value is not less than 0.05. The DITI differences of PCOS group between In-dang and thorax or between In-dang and abdomen showed lower than those of non-PCOS group though not a statistical significant level. Conculsion : The results suggest that DITI differences between PCOS and non-PC OS groups need to be developed to some degree for the diagnosis tool of PCOS.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.185-192
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to report the effect on cold hypersensitivity of hands, feet and low abdomen by Sasang constitutional treatment. For this purpose, the effects of a treatment were measured quantitatively using Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI). Methods: It was a case of report, the patient was a 25-year-old female whose chief complaint was cold hypersensitivity of hands and feet and low abdomem. We treated the patient with Sasang constitutional treatment, and the effect of a treatment was evaluated by DITI. Results: After Sasang constitutional treatment, the differences of temperature of hands, feet and low abdomem were decreased on DITI screening, respectively. Conclusions: Sasang constitutional treatment on cold hypersensitivity of hands, feet and low abdomen is effective. Further studies on diagnosis tools of low abdomen cold hypersensitivity are needed.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.19-30
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• 2000

Object : This study is designed to evaluate effects of acupuncture and herb-medication by the data of DITI(Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging) examination and the changes of clinical symptoms after the therapy of acupuncture and herb-medication in the patients with Bell's palsy. Contents : The conservative therapy with acupuncture and herb-medication was performed during 1-8weeks. The acupuncture points of S4, S6, G14, S2, BL2, SI18, TE23, LI4 and S36 was used. In the pre- and post therapy, DITI examinations were performed in patients who had Bell's palsy and were treated by acupuncture simultaneously, and then tried to correlate the results of clinical symptoms with the difference of thermographic findings at pre-and post acupuncture. Setting : The standard routine themographic examinations were performed with thermography (DITI) in the 16 patients with Bell's palsy at pre- and post acupuncture. patients : Thermographic imaging of 16cases was analyzed. They had diagnosed Bell's palsy. They were treated by acupuncture and moxibustion therapy in Wonkwang Oriental Hospital from Jauary, 1999 to February, 2000. Results : The results of treatment showes that 56.25% of patients achieved excellent recovery and 31.25% achieved good recovery. After compairing the DITI results before and after treatment, we found 43.75% of patients achieved excellent recovery and 43.75% achieved good recovery. Conclusion :Acupuncture showed good results over 87.5% in clinical evaluation and 87.5% in DITI. Thermographic examination showes terapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2005

Objectives; Hapkok(L14) and Taechung(Liv3) are acupuncture points located on both sides of each foot and hand of the human body. These two points are called sakwan points. Matching these acupuncture points have a significant reason in points of not only regulating the circulation of Yin-Yang as a source point of each meridian, but also playing a basic role of twelve meridian by controling circulation of ki and blood in the whole body. There are already related documents and studies on stimulating sakwan points. Since those papers mostly studied on either hapkok or taechung, we came to have a doubt of stimulating the two point at the same time when an inbalance of Yin-Yang and ki-blood appears. Accordingly, we got to investigate how thermogram of body changes after applying an acupuncture on sakwan points. Our study is as follows ; Methods; Our study was performed on 30 normal cases(M:F=17:13) with no past history to observe the effects of the acupuncture. We measured temperature of abdomen and the back of both hands by D.I.T.I(Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging) before and after acupuncture on sakwan points. Results and Conclusion; The thermographic change on abdomen was $0.51{\pm}0.71^{\circ}C$. Temperature of abdomen after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture with high validity(p <0.01). And the thermographic changes on the back of both hands were right hand $0.54{\pm}1.17^{\circ}C$, left hand $0.56{\pm}1.28^{\circ}C$. Temperature on the back of both hands after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture, but the difference between them had little validity(p <0.01) In addition, we found that it doesn't necessarily follow that the thermographic changes on abdomen and back of both hands after acupuncture on sakwan points happen concurrently.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2003

Objective: Hapkok(L14) and Taechung(Liv3) are acupuncture points located on both sides of each foot and hand of the human body. These two points are called sakwan points. Matching these acupuncture points have a significant reason in pints of not only regulating the circulation of Yin-Yang as a source point of each meridian, but also playing a basic role of twelve meridian by controlling circulation of ki and blood in the whole body. There are already related documents and studies on stimulating sakwan points. Since those papers mostly studied on either hapkook or taechung, we came to have a doubt of stimulation the two point at the same time when an unbalance of Yin-Yang and ki-blood appears. Accordingly, we got to investigate how thermogram of body changes after applying an acupuncture on sakwan points. Our study is as follows ; Method : Our study was performed on 30 normal cases(M:F=17:13) with no past history to observe the effects of the acupuncture. We measured temperature of abdomen and the back of both hands by D.I.T.I(Digital infrared Thermographic Imaging) before and after acupuncture on sakwan points. Results and Conclusions: The thermographic change on abdomen was $0.51{\pm}0.71^{\circ}C$. Temperature of abdomen after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture with high validity(p<0.01). And the thermographic changes on the back of both hands were right hand $0.54{\pm}1.17^{\circ}C$, left hand $0.56{\pm}1.28^{\circ}C$. Temperature on the back of both hands after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture, but the difference between them had little validity(p<0.01). In addition, we found that it doesn't necessarily follow that the thermographic changes on abdomen and back of both hands after acupuncture on sakwan points happen concurrently.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.240-246
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to report the clinical effects of Korean medical treatment with Hominis Placenta Pharmacopunture(HPP) on cold hypersensitivity of hands. Methods : A 46-year-old female patient whose chief complaint was cold hypersensitivity of hands was treated with Placenta Pharmacopunture at LI4 and LI10, ten times for a month. Acupuncture and herbal medicine were added depending on the symptoms. Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging(D.I.T.I) was taken and Visual Analog Scale(VAS) was examined before and after each treatment. Results : After the treatments, the symptoms were improved. Conclusions : DITI and VAS showed that the patient's cold hypersensitivity of hands was improved after Korean medical treatment with Hominis Placenta Pharmacopuncture.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to check diagnostic performance of infrared thermography for patients with vascular claudication. Methods : 3 patients with vascular claudication were diagnosed with Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging(DITI) and compared the relative temperature difference between the right and left. Results : Symptomatic legs showed significant low body temperature and at the very site patients complained of pain on, the body temperature differed distinctly between the right and left. Conclusions : Infrared thermographic diagnosis with clinical symptoms may be helpful in diagnosing suspected vascular claudication.