Abstract
BackgroundMedical infrared thermal imaging (MITI) is a non-invasive imaging modality gaining popularity in the veterinary field. An infrared camera captures emission of heat and creates a color map in the form of a thermogram. Topical heat emission is influenced by localized disease processes as a result of autonomic nervous system imbalance. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of using thermography to identify changes in thermographic patterns associated with syringomyelia (SM) presence or absence in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) with Chiari-like Malformation (CLM).ResultsIn CKCS with CLM, MITI was most accurate at a texture distance of 6. Optimizing imaging feature sets produced a highest accuracy of 69.9% (95% CI: 59.5–79.0%), with 81.3% sensitivity and 57.8% specificity for identifying the presence of syringomyelia.ConclusionThermographic image analysis is a successful non-invasive, diagnostic test that can be used to screen for syringomyelia presence in a CKCS with CLM.
Highlights
Medical infrared thermal imaging (MITI) is a non-invasive imaging modality gaining popularity in the veterinary field
MITI has many advantages over magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including the lack of requirement for general anesthesia or sedation, less expensive equipment, rapid image acquisition time and decreased client expense. The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the utility of using MITI to identify differences in thermographic patterns associated with presence or absence of syringomyelia in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) affected with Chiari-like Malformation (CLM)
Of the 93 CKCS included in this study, all (100%) had CLM based on complete, full-body MR imaging; 48 (51.6%) were diagnosed with SM and 45 (48.4%) had no evidence of SM
Summary
Medical infrared thermal imaging (MITI) is a non-invasive imaging modality gaining popularity in the veterinary field. An infrared camera captures emission of heat and creates a color map in the form of a thermogram. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of using thermography to identify changes in thermographic patterns associated with syringomyelia (SM) presence or absence in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) with Chiari-like Malformation (CLM). Chiari-like malformation (CLM) is a neurologic condition affecting the craniocervical junction in dogs. Increasing evidence suggests that CLM in dogs is a condition in which the entire skull is malformed, the caudal aspect is the most obvious abnormality on MRI [1]. Syrinx formation secondary to CLM is not fully understood but is believed to be multifactorial including structural abnormalities coupled with changes in CSF flow, blood flow and pressures [4]. Dogs affected with CLM/SM can experience debilitating neuropathic discomfort and neurologic abnormalities
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