Potential of Infrared Imaging in Assessing Digestive Disorders

Abstract

Thermography or infrared imaging is determined by detailed investigation of skin and cells' temperatures. It helps clinicians to detect the regions of irregular chemical and blood vessel action in body tissue. The drive of biomedical industry with consequent rapid development in other areas of biomedical imaging has also strongly influenced the destiny of thermography in biomedical practice. During past few decades, the joint efforts of biomedical engineering and medical professionals have resulted in evolution of technological progress in infrared sensor technology, image processing, organized repository of knowledge, and their overall integration into a system. All these enabled the new tools of research and use in medical thermography. Thermography is a simple, noninvasive and reproducible test that can accurately reflect the inflammatory activities, and can be used safely and repeatedly, during biological course of inflammatory bowel disease. Objective of this study is presenting the possibility of infrared imaging in assessing digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis and Crohn's disease.