Infrared thermography can be useful in rheumatology and peripheral nervous system disorders as a noninvasive imaging modality. Temperature measurement based on the detection of infrared radiation can be used to support diagnosis, but also as an outcome parameter to verify therapeutic measures.
Infrared thermography is useful in arthritis of the arthritis of the knee, ankle and wrist, in complex regional pain syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, and epicondylitis fully accepted as both a diagnostic method and outcome parameter. This imaging modality can also aid in the diagnosis of patients with radiculopathy, peripheral nerve compression syndromes, finger joint disease, muscle injury, fibromyalgia, and Paget’s disease. Thermography is not suitable for the diagnosis of shoulder disorders and medial epicondylitis or for monitoring fibromyalgia. For valid and reliable results
thermography must be performed in a standardized manner.
Infrared (IR)- thermography may be applied as non invasive, imaging procedure in rheumatology and in diseases of the peripheral nerve system. Temperature measurements based on infrared radiation can be used as a technique to assist diagnosis or as an outcome measure to evaluate treatment effects. IR imaging is fully accepted as a diagnostic procedure and as outcome measure in patients suffering
from arthritis in knee, wrist or ankle joints, complex regional pain syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome and epicondylitis. The technique may also be useful to assist diagnosis in patients suffering from radiculopathy, entrapment syndrome of peripheral nerves, arthritis of small finger joints, muscle injuries, fibromyalgia and Paget’s disease. IR imaging is of little to no valuein diagnosis of shoulder disorders or medial epicondylitis and should not be used for monitoring in fibromyalgia patients. However, IR imaging must be performed in a standardised way to achieve valid and reliable results.