Thermal Imaging of the Tongue Surface as a Predictive Method in the Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to develop a non-invasive screening method for diabetes which will enable the detection of the disease at an early stage. This study included 63 adult patients of both sexes: 30 patients with type 2 diabetes (t2DM) and 33 healthy volunteers. The temperature distribution on the tongue's dorsum and apex surface was studied in patients after a mouth-cooling procedure had been introduced. The study used an FLIR T540 thermal imaging camera. An analysis of the correlation between the ∆T values of the tongue dorsum and apex and the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level was performed. The median of the average dorsum temperature measured 10 min after mouth rinsing was almost 0.8 [°C] lower than for healthy individuals. Also, studies showed a positive average correlation with a Pearson coefficient of r = 0.46 between the HbA1c level and the ∆T of the tongue dorsum. Tongue temperature measured using the IRT showed a correlation with standard biochemical parameters; it may also differentiate patients and constitute a specific screening method for patients with t2DM.