K Roehl1, S Becker, C Fuhrmeister, N Teuscher, M Füting, A Heilmann. 1. Berufgenossenschaftliche Kliniken, Akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus Bergmannstrost, Zentrum für Rückenmarkverletzte und Klinik für Orthopädie, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical trial of consecutive tetraplegic and paraplegic cases. OBJECTIVES: The detection of the neurological level of paralysis by thermographic imaging. SETTING: Spinal Cord Injury Center in Germany Halle (Saale) and Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Halle (Saale). METHODS: Twelve tetraplegic and 4 paraplegic patients (ASIA A-C) were examined by thermal imaging with a diagnosis of a temperature difference on the skin surface. RESULTS: A new application of thermography for diagnostic purposes could be demonstrated, especially by the new methodical approaches to evaluate thermographic images. CONCLUSION: Thermography could prospectively be applied in the emergency diagnosis and therapy for accident victims as a supplement to existing diagnostic measures for spinal cord injury.
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical trial of consecutive tetraplegic and paraplegic cases. OBJECTIVES: The detection of the neurological level of paralysis by thermographic imaging. SETTING:Spinal Cord Injury Center in Germany Halle (Saale) and Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Halle (Saale). METHODS: Twelve tetraplegic and 4 paraplegic patients (ASIA A-C) were examined by thermal imaging with a diagnosis of a temperature difference on the skin surface. RESULTS: A new application of thermography for diagnostic purposes could be demonstrated, especially by the new methodical approaches to evaluate thermographic images. CONCLUSION: Thermography could prospectively be applied in the emergency diagnosis and therapy for accident victims as a supplement to existing diagnostic measures for spinal cord injury.