An image-processing program for the evaluation of asymmetrical thermal distributions

The most common and most effective method for using thermography to detect abnormalities is to compare the thermographic image of the affected area with that of the corresponding contralateral healthy area, even though this method can be applied to cases with only hemilateral involvement. This paper describes the development of an image-processing program capable of producing images of the temperature difference between the affected side and the corresponding contralateral healthy side of the living body. The feasibility of the image-processing program was demonstrated by employing it for diagnostic purposes with actual clinical patients