Quantitative and dynamic telethermometry-a fresh look at clinical thermology

Among the different defense health care technologies that were discussed in a series of minisymposia at the 16th EMBS Annual International Conference in November 1994, special attention was given to infrared telethermometry, i.e., the use of infrared emission from the human body for diagnosis and management of a large number of acute and chronic clinical problems. While advanced computerized infrared technology was developed in the defense industry for surveillance, targeting and homing devices, there was minimal cross fertilization with the development of infrared imaging for nonmilitary purposes-testing of materials, evaluation of industrial processes, and medical diagnoses. Nonmilitary users of infrared did not benefit from the substantial investments made by the Department of Defense in R&D of infrared systems. In the United States the progression of medical uses of infrared imaging has suffered, however, not only from the lack of advanced infrared technology, but also from a low social status in the medical community. Clinical diagnosis of the numerous pathological conditions affecting the distribution of temperature over the skin of one or more parts of the human body have been the most important aspect of clinical thermology. New, more effective methodologies are now evolving using the temporal thermal behavior as a clinical tool. Yet, thermology has remained a controversial technique in the U.S., especially in certain areas of neurological applications where clinical protocols have not been firmly established and diagnostic criteria have been rather vague and subjective