Converting algorithms for detecting physiological function changes from time sequential thermal images of skin surface

The temperature of the skin surface closely relates to physiological functions which control the body temperature constant. When we intend to analyze such physiological functions from thermal images of the skin surface which are obtained by a far infrared thermograph, we should prepare an algorithm to convert from thermal to other physiological information. The temperature of the skin surface is influenced many environmental, physiological and structural parameters. When we wish to detect a pathophysiological function, especially, changes of the parameter, we should develop some methods to eliminate the other parameters. The computed thermography system (CTS) developed in 1986 offers fundamental sequential image processing tools. Using this tool, we developed some algorithms to detect transient changes of some physiological functions when we applied thermal, physical hormonal and neural stress. We obtained images, i.e. therma-tomes, which are caused by changes of such physiological functions as skin blood flow rate, blood volume in subcutaneous vascular bed, sweat volume and activities of sympathetic nerve systems