title: Value of digital telethermography for the diagnosis of septic knee prosthesis: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diagnosis of peri-prosthetic infection remains challenging, often requiring a combination of different tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, case-control study, the diagnostic accuracy of telethermography was evaluated in a group of seventy patients who had had a total knee replacement and were undergoing a reoperation because of infection or another implant-related problem, after a minimum of one year from implant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An average differential temperature of the affected versus not affected knee of 1.9 °C was observed in infected prosthesis, compared to 0.3 °C in aseptic failures. Considering a normal reference value equal or less than 1.0 °C, telethermography showed an accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of, respectively: 0.90, 0.89, 0.91, 0.91, 0.88.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Digital telethermography is a reliable option for diagnosing peri-prosthetic knee infection.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Ricostruttiva e delle Infezioni Osteo-articolari, Istituto Ortopedico IRCCS Galeazzi - Via Riccardo Galeazzi 4, Milano, 20166 Italy. carlo.romano@grupposandonato.it
authors.forename: Carlo Luca
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Romanò
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Anchise
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calamita
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manzi
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Romanò
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sansone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007259:Infrared Rays; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*