The body surface temperature of 41 patients suffering coldness, numbness or pain in their feet was examined using thermography. Thermographic results were analyzed quantitatively by calculating a recovery ratio as: Recovery ratio =[Total counts of thermography (Pixels) over temperature (T) after cold loading] ÷ [Initial counts over T before cold loading] x 100(%). Three different baseline temperatures, 26℃. 27℃ and 28℃, were used in processing the thermographic results into pictures. The recovery ratio was susceptible to temperature, and we recommend a baseline temperature limitation of 27℃ for clinical study. A bi-modal distribution of recovery ratio was observed in 18 patients with diabetes mellitus. One group (6 subjects) had high recovery ratio between 80%-100%, and another group (10 subjects) had a low recovery ratio between 0%-19%. The results of thermography were also influenced by weather. To reduce the effect of outside temperature, we used pre-loading with hot water at 36℃ for 5 min (hot loading). A large difference in recovery ratio between presence and absence of hot loading was observed in 6 of the 30 subjects. The difference was over-estimated in more than 20% of recovery ratio without hot loading as compared with hot loading in these 6 subjects. The effect of drugs on peripheral circulation, such as beraprost sodium and sarpogrelate hydrochloride, was clear and quantified using thermography under these conditions of hot loading.
サーモグラフィー (thermography)
糖尿病 (diabetes mellitus)
末梢循環 (peripheral circulation)
冷水負荷 (cold loading)
温水負荷 (hot loading)