New, non-invasive thermographic examination of body surface temperature on tetraplegic and paraplegic patients, as a supplement to existing diagnostic measures.

Abstract

Prospective clinical trial of consecutive tetraplegic and paraplegic cases. The detection of the neurological level of paralysis by thermographic imaging. Spinal Cord Injury Center in Germany Halle (Saale) and Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Halle (Saale). Twelve tetraplegic and 4 paraplegic patients (ASIA A-C) were examined by thermal imaging with a diagnosis of a temperature difference on the skin surface. A new application of thermography for diagnostic purposes could be demonstrated, especially by the new methodical approaches to evaluate thermographic images. Thermography could prospectively be applied in the emergency diagnosis and therapy for accident victims as a supplement to existing diagnostic measures for spinal cord injury.