Active Dynamic Thermography - Problems of implementation in medical diagnostics

Abstract

Implementation of the method called Active Dynamic Thermography (ADT) in medical diagnostics of some specific diseases is here discussed. In skin burn diagnostics a method giving objective information what is the burn depth is a real challenge as until now there are not such methods approved in clinical practice. We have shown that ADT is a proper tool to give an answer to the question of non invasive, objective and quantitative determination of burn's depth and the severity of a tested wound. The method may be also used to diagnose breast cancer and in some other applications. We implemented in clinics a prototype set based on ADT procedures for skin burn diagnostics. Practical conditions for reliable use of ADT in burn diagnostics are here discussed. The instrumentation and procedures applied in animal experiments and clinical tests are described. Basic problems limiting practical implementation of ADT are underlined. Especially the choice of external excitation seems to be not a trivial task; though we proved a very high importance of cooling.