TITLE:
Infra-red Thermal Imaging of the Inner Canthus: Correlates with the Temperature of the Injured Human Brain
AUTHORS:
Charmaine Childs, Mya Myint Zu, Aung Phyo Wai, Yeo Tseng Tsai, Shiqian Wu, Wang Li
KEYWORDS:
Brain Temperature; Infra-red Thermometry; Inner Canthus; Thermal Imaging; Eye
JOURNAL NAME:
Engineering,
Vol.4 No.10B,
January
17,
2013
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Infra-red (IR) thermometry is a safe and valid method to
determine internal and surface temperature in human subjects. Under conditions
of brain damage (head injury or stroke) knowledge of changes in the temperature
of intracranial tissue is justified because of the vulnerability of neurons to
accelerated damage at temperatures at the upper end of the febrile range. Aim: To determine the temperature at the inner canthus (IC) of the eye as a potential surrogate for
brain temperature. Methods: Invasive
monitoring of deep brain structures, lateral ventricle and deep white matter. IR
temperature readings obtained at right and left IC. Results: Strong correlations were evident between R and
L IC and brain. Close, as well as poor, agreement between sites was shown in some patients and at some
times. For right hemispheric lesions four had a better
correlation between TbrV and TRIC when compared to TLIC. When the correlation between TbrV
and TLIC was better compared to TbrV and TRIC,
four had a predominant right hemispheric lesion. Conclusions: Improved techniques for IR thermal
imaging accuracy at the bedside has the potential to improve temperature
measurement agreement. The predominant lesion side may have a bearing on
maximum ipsilateral IC temperature Further studies are ongoing in this pilot study
population.