ABSTRACT
Thermal patterns arising from altered cutaneous blood flow can be detected thermographically. Both dermatitis and subcutaneous phlebitis should have characteristic patterns of thermal emission. Telethermography measures thermal radiation in the infrared range. There are a number of points that need to be addressed. These include: the assumption that measurement of cutaneous temperature has diagnostic value, and the assumption that improvements in equipment will enhance the diagnostic utility of thermal imaging. There are studies demonstrating that thermography is useful for identifying inflammatory or neoplastic skin diseases. The major use for thermography has been to evaluate patients with radiculopathy, neurovascular compression syndromes, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Quantitative thermography plays a major role in the diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a syndrome characterized by altered cutaneous blood flow associated with sympathetic dysfunction. Skin temperature is directly affected by environmental temperature; thus the importance of maintaining a constant ambient temperature.
