Update in interventional digitalized infra-red thermal imaging in pain management

Significant new technological advances in biomedical engineering in detector material, staring focal plane array (SFA) sensors, integrated circuits, and high performance photon detectors such as mercury-cadmium-telluride (MCT) operating in the 70 K to 120 K temperature range enable the clinician in medicine to “see more”. With third generation technology coupled with concomitant advances in biological medicine in gene, receptor specific, and enzymatic molecular medicines, interventional quantitative thermography enables a better understanding of interactive thermal pattern recognition in neuropathic, myopathic, angiopathic and scleropathic syndromes as aides in diagnosis and monitoring treatment in pain management. As a result of these advances, we can now demonstrate two types of interventional computerized thermal imaging: (1) chemically mediated-receptor specific; and (2) peripheral neuropathic localization of the somato-autonomic thermatome. This study focuses on new medical applications of these techniques, and reviews the clinical physiology mediated by interventionally monitored digitalized infrared thermal imaging (DITI)