Feasibility of using infrared thermal imaging to examine brown adipose tissue in infants aged 18 to 25 months

Abstract

Background: Recent studies in adults indicate that cold-induced temperature change of supraclavicular skin corresponds with brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis. Aim: This study examined the feasibility of using thermography to assess temperature changes in infants aged 18–25 months after mild cooling. Further, this study sought to evaluate whether cold exposure induces a thermal response suggestive of BAT activity underlying the supraclavicular region. Subjects and Methods: Changes in maximum skin temperature at the supraclavicular and interscapular regions were determined using thermal imaging following a mild 5-minute cooling condition (by removal of clothes in a climate-controlled room) in 67 Samoan infants. Temperature changes of the forehead and hand, known BAT-free regions, served as indicators of cooling efficacy. Results: Infants with increased hand and forehead temperatures after cold exposure were excluded from analysis, reducing the effective sample size to 19 infants. On average, forehead (p < 0.001), hand (p < 0.001) and back (0.029) temperatures dropped significantly while supraclavicular temperatures remained constant. Participants with greater decreases in forehead temperature tended to exhibit greater supraclavicular thermogenesis (p = 0.084), suggesting potential BAT activity in this region. Conclusions: While further work is necessary to develop a reliable cooling condition, this study provides proof-of-concept for non-invasive assessment of BAT activity in infants.