ABSTRACT

For the past two decades, technological advancement has led to increased capability and ecacy of functional infrared imaging (fIR). Developments in computerized image acquisition, data processing, and interpretation derived and directly incorporated from formerly classied military applications have increased and solidied the medical utility of fIR. Previous and residual concerns and criticisms of IR as being inadequate to eectively detect thermal signatures that are important to establishing particular dierential diagnoses have been assuaged and refuted by the functional sophistication produced through advanced image acquisition and computerized analytic systems. ere is recurrent contention surrounding the inapt use of fIR by untrained personnel, and the overuse of IR as an improperly administered or interpreted “diagnostic” test. e aforementioned progress in the technology domains of the eld has deepened concerns over the ethical use of fIR, and compels a need for increased stringency in the education, training, and certication of professionally qualied, competent clinicians and technicians to be the sole providers of this technology.