Thermoregulation and thermography in neonatal physiology and disease

kdeming — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 00:01:26 +0000

Published Date:

Tue, 2011-05-17 (All day)

Thermoregulation, or control of body temperature, has been studied as a fundamental physiological parameter defining health and disease for centuries (Ring, 2007; Ring, McEvoy, Jung, Zuber, & Machin, 2010). Multiple techniques have been used to assess thermoregulation in infants and adults, including the recent development of infrared thermography. Thermography can measure and visualize skin surface thermal patterns in the study of body temperature, and researchers have used this novel methodology to study cancer, peripheral vascular disease, trauma, and wound management (Kateb, Yamamoto, Yu, Grundfest, & Gruen, 2009; Katz et al., 2008; Mital & Scott, 2007; Nakanishi & Imai-Matsumura, 2008). We have recently developed methods to use infrared thermography to measure body temperature in neonates during their first month of life to examine relationships between control of body temperature and perfusion, as well as association between thermoregulation and clinical disease processes such as necrotizing enterocolitis. This paper will review methods for using infrared thermography, current research using this measurement tool, and use in our current neonatal research.

Infrared Thermal Imaging (Thermography) of the Abdomen in Extremely Low Birthweight Infants

lsharp — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:32:27 +0000

Published Date:

Fri, 2010-01-01 (All day)

INTRODUCTION Infrared thermal imaging (thermography) is a non-invasive method to measure skin temperature. The primary aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of thermography for the assessment of abdominal skin temperature in extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants, with secondary aims to compare abdominal and thoracic skin temperature, and to explore potential relationships between abdominal skin temperature and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

METHODS We prospectively examined clinical, radiographic, and thermal imaging data in 13 ELBW infants (< 1000 gm and < 29 weeks gestation) during the first month of life. Thermal imaging was performed using an infrared camera, with skin temperature measured over abdomen and thorax. Abdominal skin temperature was compared to thoracic skin temperature, and these findings fur- ther examined in infants with radiographic evidence of NEC as well as those without NEC.

RESULTS We found that thermal imaging in ELBW infants is feasible and can result in accurate measurements of skin temperature over anatomic regions. Overall, the mean abdominal skin tem- perature was lower than thoracic skin temperature (p<0.05 by paired Student’s t-test), although this difference appears due to NEC in some infants. Infants with radiographic evidence of NEC had a lower mean abdominal skin temperature compared to infants without NEC (p<0.05 by paired Student’s t-test).

CONCLUSIONS In this study, we found that infrared thermal imaging is feasible in ELBW infants. Thermography may be helpful for the study of thermoregulation in ELBW infants and may provide new insight into the role of regional perfusion in NEC.

Nurse Faculty Scholars - Thermoregulation

Thermoregulation and thermography in neonatal physiology and disease

Infrared Thermal Imaging (Thermography) of the Abdomen in Extremely Low Birthweight Infants