title: New, non-invasive thermographic examination of body surface temperature on tetraplegic and paraplegic patients, as a supplement to existing diagnostic measures.
abstract: METHODS
  Prospective clinical trial of consecutive tetraplegic and paraplegic cases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The detection of the neurological level of paralysis by thermographic imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spinal Cord Injury Center in Germany Halle (Saale) and Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Halle (Saale).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve tetraplegic and 4 paraplegic patients (ASIA A-C) were examined by thermal imaging with a diagnosis of a temperature difference on the skin surface.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A new application of thermography for diagnostic purposes could be demonstrated, especially by the new methodical approaches to evaluate thermographic images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thermography could prospectively be applied in the emergency diagnosis and therapy for accident victims as a supplement to existing diagnostic measures for spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Berufgenossenschaftliche Kliniken, Akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus Bergmannstrost, Zentrum für Rückenmarkverletzte und Klinik für Orthopädie, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roehl
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fuhrmeister
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Teuscher
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Füting
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heilmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001830:Body Surface Area; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013817:Thermography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult