A pyroelectric thermal imaging system for use in medical diagnosis.
The value of infra-red thermography in a number of pathologies, notably rheumatology and vascular diseases, is becoming well established. However, the high cost of thermal scanners and the associated image processing computers has been a limitation to the widespread availability of this technique to the clinical community. This paper describes a relatively inexpensive thermographic system based on a pyroelectric vidicon scanner and a microcomputer. Software has been written with particular reference to the use of thermography in rheumatoid arthritis and vasospastic conditions such as Raynaud's phenomenon.
Department of Rheumatology, Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, London, UK.
C M
CM
Black
R P
RP
Clark
K
K
Darton
M R
MR
Goff
T D
TD
Norman
H A
HA
Spikes
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008838:Microcomputers; D012984:Software; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis