Nature of Infrared Thermography in Acute/Chronic Cervix and Shoulder Pain Patients:a Characteristic Analysis

Objective To provide scientific basis for the diagnosis and therapy of the cervix and shoulder pain patients through the analysis of alteration of infrared thermograms.Methods The control group consisted of 40 healthy persons receiving health examinations,and the patients group was with 40 cases.We adopted the ATIR-M301B medical infrared thermograph in an non-refrigeratory focal plane.The examined part of the body should be exposed and taken the infrared thermography on the whole body or part of the body.By using the analysis software provided by the instrument,we measured the temperature difference of the right and left sides of the neck,back and shoulder,and analyzed statistically.Results The infrared thermograms of the control group showed that the temperature of the examined part including neck,back and shoulder,was symmetrically distributed,that the spinal line was the high temperature area,and the temperature of the right and left sides of the neck,back and shoulder was symmetrical.The mean temperature difference of the two sides was 0.07℃,with no significant difference(P0.05).The infrared thermograms of the patients group were asymmetrically distributied,and showed much higher and lower temperature area in some regions.Some regional temperatures in the pain area of the acute cervix and shoulder pain patients were much higher,as more as 2℃ higher,than the peripheral tissue.But the thermograms of the chronic cervix and shoulder pain showed different image presentation,including some area with higher temperature and some with lower temperature.Conclusions The infrared thermography could reflect the regional temperature difference in the pain area among the cervix and shoulder pain patients,and show the hyperemia change in the acute period and ischemic change in the chronic period.It could provide individual evidence for the clinical diagnosis and treatment.