1. MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
VERTEBROLOGY
© EDP Srl, 2004

2. MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Vertebrology
Infrared thermography is the best method for the functional diagnostics in vertebrology. In most cases, the use of thermography makes possible a final topical diagnosis of the vertebral arthrosis, the evaluation of the functional condition of the affected vertebral segment and an excellent objective control during the massage or drug therapy.
Thermography is a method of the functional diagnostics, that’s why thermovisual manifestations of vertebral problems appear long before the X-ray symptoms.
Infrared thermography is a very suitable method, because it’s fast, reliable, non-contact and absolutely safe for patient and doctor. Infrared thermography has no limitations and can be successfully applied in babies, children and pregnant women.
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3. MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Vertebrology
There are two main groups of thermovisual manifestations of vertebral arthrosis:
Local symptoms – hyperthermia or hypothermia on the back on the level of the affected vertebrae.
Distal symptoms – decrease of temperature above the areas of autonomic innervation of the compressed nerves.
Local symptoms are mainly used to evaluate severity of the pathologic process and effectiveness of the administered treatment. Distal symptoms allows making a precise topic diagnosis of vertebral arthrosis.
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4. Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
The typical local symptom of cervical and thoracic arthrosis is the hypothermia above the affected segments of the vertebral column. The thermovisual picture becomes asymmetric and values of thermal asymmetry usually are 0,8-1,6°C.
Cervical arthrosis.
Cervical and thoracic arthrosis.
Thoracic arthrosis.
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5. Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
Cervical arthrosis is often associated with other clinical syndromes and complications, such as frozen shoulder, syndrome of musculus scalenus anterior, syndrome of vertebral artery, syndrome of pectoral muscle, syndrome of vertebrobasilar insufficiency, intracranial hypertension.
Most of these diseases have specific thermal signs and can be detected by infrared thermography.
Frozen shoulder – rough asymmetric hyperthermia above the affected shoulder.
Frozen right shoulder.
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6. Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
Some of these complications, such as the frozen shoulder, have different causes, and thermography can be used to detect the nature of the disease.
Syndrome of vertebral artery – severe hyperthermia along the midline.
Syndrome of m.scalenus anterior in the left side – non homogenous hyperthermia of the clavicular area.
Syndrome of pectoral muscle
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7. Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
Like arthrosis, some of the above mentioned complications have both local and distal manifestations. For example, the thermovisual sign of intracranial hypertension is a local cold point between the eyebrows. Vertebrobasilar insufficiency manifests itself as orbital hyperthermia.
Syndrome of vertebrobasilar insufficiency – severe hyperthermia of the back surface of the neck.
Syndrome of vertebrobasilar insufficiency – hyperthermia of the orbital areas.
Intracranial hypertension – hypothermic point between the eyebrows.
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8. Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
Distal thermovisual signs of cervical arthrosis are skin hypothermia on the areas of autonomic innervation of the spinal nerves. These areas are well-known in anatomy and neurology.
© EDP Srl, 2004

9. Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
Thanks to a good correlation of hypothermic areas and anatomical data, it is possible to make a very precise topical diagnosis.
Hypothermia in C5-C6 innervation areas.
Hypothermia in C5-C6 and D7-D10 innervation areas.
Hypothermia in D7-D8 innervation areas.
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10. Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Cervical & Thoracic Arthrosis
Severity of the distal symptoms has a very good correspondence with the stage of compression of the corresponding spinal nerves. This fact allows performing a detailed clinical diagnostics and controlling the effectiveness of the therapy.
Hypothermia in innervation area of ulnaris nerve – full compression of the nerve.
Hypothermia in D1 innervation area – partial compression of ulnaris nerve.
Hypothermia in C7-C8 innervation area – partial compression of radialis nerve.
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11. Lumbosacral Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Lumbosacral Arthrosis
Generally, the thermovisual manifestations of lumbo-sacral arthrosis are similar to the cervical ones.
Using infrared thermography, it is possible to distinguish 4 main syndromes of lumbar arthrosis:
Disfixation (hypermoblity)
Aseptic inflammation
Compressive
Discirculatory (dystrophic)
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12. Lumbosacral Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Lumbosacral Arthrosis
In hypermobility and inflammation syndromes, in thermograms a warm area appears above the affected segment of the vertebral column. The temperature gradients are 0,8-1,2°C at the hypermobility and up to 2°C at the inflammation stage.
Hypermobility syndrome.
Inflammation syndrome.
Inflammation syndrome.
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13. Lumbosacral Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Lumbosacral Arthrosis
The compressive syndrome manifests itself as a hot line aside, on the level of the compressed nerve.
At the dystrophic stage the thermograms show some cold points next to the vertebral column.
Compressive syndrome.
Compressive syndrome.
Dystrophic syndrome.
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14. Lumbosacral Arthrosis
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Lumbosacral Arthrosis
Distal symptoms of the lumbar and sacral arthrosis are similar to the cervical ones – i.e. hypothermia on the areas of autonomic innervation of compressed nerves.
Back surface of the legs – hypothermia on L4 innervation area.
Back surface of the legs – hypothermia on S2-S3 innervation areas.
External surface of the left leg – hypothermia on L2-L3 innervation areas.
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15. MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Vertebrology
Infrared thermography is the best method for an objective evaluation of the effectiveness of a massage therapy. In this application we have to give a careful consideration to the fact that local symptoms change fast, even after a single massage manipulation, but distal symptoms disappear in 2-3 months.
Severe diffuse arthrosis.
The same patient after the course of massage.
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16. Hernia of Intervertebral Disk
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Hernia of Intervertebral Disk
Local thermovisual signs of intervertebral hernia are a non-homogenous asymmetric hyperthermia on the lumbar area with several points with a temperature gradient higher than 1,5°C.
Intervertebral hernia at L5-S1 level.
Intervertebral hernia at L4-L5 level.
Intervertebral hernias at L2-L3 and L4-L5 levels.
© EDP Srl, 2004

17. Hernia of Intervertebral Disk
MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Hernia of Intervertebral Disk
To detect the level, side and stage of intervertebral hernia more precisely, thermograms of the legs should be examined to evaluate the distal symptoms. The diagnostic reliability of this approach is not lower than that of the computer tomography examination.
Intervertebral hernia at L4-L5 level.
The same patient. Cold areas at the level of L4-L5 innervation in the right side.
The same patient. Cold areas at the level of L4-L5 innervation in the right side.
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18. MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Scoliosis
Infrared thermography is the best functional method for the diagnostics of scoliosis. In the case of scoliosis the hot line along the vertebral column is not located on the midline and indicates the shape and severity of curvature.
Left side curvature.
Right side curvature.
Right side curvature.
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19. MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Scoliosis
To display the curvature more clearly, a thermal profile or isotherm post-processing functions can be applied.
Being absolutely safe for the patient, fast, visual, low-cost and very easy in interpretation, Infrared thermography is a good method for screening diagnostics of scoliosis in children.
© EDP Srl, 2004