What most of us are accustomed to when we think of medical imaging is the use of X-ray, CT, MRI, or ultrasound. All of these imaging tools are considered structural imaging technologies; they look inside the body for structural changes such as broken bones, tumors, damage to organs, etc. What separates these technologies from infrared imaging is that Thermography detects infrared (heat) markers that reflect the body’s subtle underlying chemical and nervous system signals. This allows us to look at how the body is functioning. These neurochemical signals may be the only sign that a problem exists, a remnant of injury indicating that healing has not finished, or a signal sent in advance of significant damage to the body. With this information in hand, you and your health care provider can outline a method for treating a current problem or possibly preventing future problems before they cause irreversible damage.
Many patients are also confused with regard to their condition. For example, patients with chronic pain who have had treatment with little or no relief may have been treated for the wrong condition. Infrared imaging has helped many patients get to the cause of their condition so that proper treatment can be rendered.
The applications of Thermography are broad and range from simple soft tissue injury to a risk assessment marker for breast cancer. It is important to note that infrared imaging, like other imaging procedures (e.g. CT, MRI, mammography, ultrasound) does not provide a diagnosis. Infrared imaging cannot be used as a "body scan" to search for metastasis (the spread of cancer) or internal organ pathologies. Infrared imaging is an additional procedure that your doctor can use along with other tests to evaluate your health. Only your physician can provide you with a diagnosis. The following list is just some of the conditions that have associated infrared thermal emission markers:
Altered gait manifestations
Arteriosclerosis (peripheral)
Brachial Plexus Injury
Breast Disease Bursitis
Carotid Artery Stenosis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Chronic pain
Compartment Syndromes
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Dental Irritation/Inflammation
Diabetes (secondary complications)
Disc Syndromes (spinal discogenic pain)
Facet Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Headache Evaluation (e.g. cervicogenic, migraine, sinus)
Herniated Disc/Ruptured Disc
Hypesthesia
Hyperaesthesia
Inflammation
Intervertebral Disc Disease
Ligament Tears
Lumbosacral Plexus Injury
Muscular Spasm
Muscle Tears
Myofascial Irritation
Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Nerve Entrapment
Nerve Impingement/Pressure
Nerve Root Irritation
Nerve Stretch Injury
Neuritis
Neuropathy
Neurovascular Compression
Osteoarthritis
Paresthesia
Peripheral Nerve Abnormalities
Pinched Nerves
Referred Pain Syndromes
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)
Repetitive Strain Injuries
Raynaud’s Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sacroiliac Ligament Tear
Sacroiliac Syndrome
Sensory Nerve Abnormalities
Sinus Irritation/Inflammation
Skin Conditions
Soft Tissue Injury
Spinal Cord Injury
Sports Injuries
Strain/Sprains
Superficial Vascular Disease
Synovitis
Temporal Arteritis
Tendonitis
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Thyroid Conditions
TMJ Dysfunction (TMD)
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigger Points
Whiplash Conditions
And many more …
Sources: Index Medicus - J Thermology, Acta Thermographica, J Breast