Q. What parts of the body can be scanned?
A. Thermal images are taken of the whole body, upper body, lower body or individual regions such as breast, head, leg and torso. A lumbar assessment would typically include a lower body study including lower back, pelvis and legs. A cervical assessment would typically include an upper body study and include head and neck, upper trunk and arms.
Q. What is the neuro-thermography application of Medical Thermal Imaging?
A. The neuro-thermography application of MTI measures the somatic component of the sympathetic nervous system by assessing dermal blood flow. The sympathetic nervous system is stimulated at the same anatomical location as its sensory counterpart and produces a 'somato sympathetic response'. The somato sympathetic response appears on a thermogram as a localized area of altered temperature with specific features for each anatomical lesion.
Q. What temperature ranges are involved?
A. In normal people there is a symmetrical dermal pattern that is consistent and reproducible for any individual. This is recorded in precise detail with a temperature sensitivity of 0.1°C by MTI.
- The mean temperature differential in peripheral nerve injury is 1.5°C. In sympathetic dysfunction's (RSD / SMP / CRPS) temperature differentials ranging from 1° C to 10° C depending on severity are not uncommon.
- Rheumatological processes generally appear as 'hot' areas with increased temperature patterns. The pathology is generally an inflammatory process, i.e. synovitis of joints and tendon sheaths, epicondylitis, capsular and muscle injuries, etc.
- Both hot and cold responses may coexist if the pain associated with an inflammatory focus excites an increase in sympathetic activity. Also, vascular conditions are readily demonstrated by MTI including Reynaud’s disease, Vasculitis, Limb Ischemia, DVT, etc.
Q. Is Medical Thermal Imaging FDA approved?
A. Yes, it was approved in 1982.
