Dermatology

DERMATOLOGY –SKIN PROBLEMS

SM J Clin Med Imaging. 2015;1(1):1-5. Epub 2015 Nov 20.

Infrared Imaging Tools for Diagnostic Applications in Dermatology.

Gurjarpadhye AA1Parekh MB2Dubnika A3Rajadas J4Inayathullah M5.

Author information

Abstract

Infrared (IR) imaging is a collection of non-invasive imaging techniques that utilize the IR domain of the electromagnetic spectrum for tissue assessment. A subset of these techniques construct images using back-reflected light, while other techniques rely on detection of IR radiation emitted by the tissue as a result of its temperature. Modern IR detectors sense thermal emissions and produce a heat map of surface temperature distribution in tissues. Thus, the IR spectrum offers a variety of imaging applications particularly useful in clinical diagnostic area, ranging from high-resolution, depth-resolved visualization of tissue to temperature variation assessment. These techniques have been helpful in the diagnosis of many medical conditions including skin/breast cancer, arthritis, allergy, burns, and others. In this review, we discuss current roles of IR-imaging techniques for diagnostic applications in dermatology with an emphasis on skin cancer, allergies, blisters, burns and wounds.

KEYWORDS:

burn wounds; digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI); infrared imaging; optical coherence tomography (OCT); skin; skin cancer;thermography

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26691203