A Comparison of Steady State and Transient Thermography Techniques Using a Healing Tendon Model

Abstract

Steady state and transient thermal techniques were used to define the thermal signatures of surgically sectioned and sham-operated common calcanean tendons in four dogs. All limbs were imaged from the lateral side using an Inframetrics 525 system at - 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after surgery. Individual video frames were used to compute absolute surface temperatures and rewarm curves for five predetermined 1 cm2 skin areas. Angiography was performed at each observation period to correlate changes in vascular morphology and thermal data. Thermal signatures and angiograms were similar in all animals before surgery. At 2 and 4 weeks after surgery, the absolute surface temperatures of the entire lateral crus area were elevated in three of four animals. During weeks 6 and 8, the surface temperatures, rewarm curves, and angiograms returned to presurgical values for the controls. Skin areas over the repaired tendons remained warmer and were shown to correlate with vascular proliferation by transient but not steady state techniques. Steady state and transient thermal imaging techniques can be used to detect vascular changes in the area around a healing tendon. However, our data indicate that transient thermal techniques are more suitable than steady state methods for localizing vascular disturbances in tissues. Thermographic imaging techniques may become a reliable noninvasive method to monitor wound healing processes if starting temperatures, cool down techniques, and time intervals for data collection are fully evaluated in future studies using transient thermal imaging protocols.

Diagnostic Imaging of the Canine Stifle: A Review

“…Similar changes have been observed in equine inflammatory joint disease 29,31 . In experimentally induced calcanean tendon tears in dogs, this same asymmetry and increase in color map and temperature over the injured region were noted 37 …”

“…Thermography in dogs has been limited to research applications but is being used clinically in our hospital. 26,33–37 …”

Thermal Imaging of Normal and Cranial Cruciate Ligament‐Deficient Stifles in Dogs

“…In contrast to humans and horses, little is known about thermographic imaging of the canine stifle. Use of thermography in small animal medicine has been largely limited to research, with no clinical applications being reported 54–59 . Because of the noninvasive nature of this imaging modality without need for anesthesia or use of radiation in image generation, thermography may be a useful diagnostic screening technique for disorders of the canine stifle.…”

“…Use of thermography in small animal medicine has been largely limited to research, with no clinical applications being reported. [54][55][56][57][58][59] Because of the noninvasive nature of this imaging modality without need for anesthesia or use of radiation in image generation, thermography may be a useful diagnostic screening technique for disorders of the canine stifle. Thus, our purpose was to compare thermal patterns and temperature gradients in the stifle region of clinically normal dogs, before and after hair clipping, with those of dogs with CCL-deficient stifles.…”

Avaliação da terapia por laser de arsenito e gálio em tendinite de cavalos Puro Sangue Inglês de corrida

“…Alterações térmicas nos tendões foram identificadas por termografia até duas semanas antes de alguns animais apresentarem sinais clínicos de tendinite (TURNER, 2001). A termografia pode detectar alterações vasculares num tendão de estrutura comprometida (STEIN et al, 1988). Um estudo que correlacionou termografia, histologia e microangiografia concluiu que as alterações degenerativas precedem os sinais clínicos quanto ao aparecimento da tendinite (STROMBERG, 1973).…”