We introduce a methodology for acquisition and analysis of infrared (IR) images, picturing the metabolic heat emission from the human skin. Then we analyze the radiometric asymmetries in the patients with DM2 in comparison to the natural asymmetries, represented by the control group. In this regard, we introduce three indices (TAI, SAI, TtAI) with conditions for disclosing asymmetries displayed on images acquired in passive mode (the natural thermal emission, NTE). Then, the indices are adapted for analysis of IR-images acquired in what we brand as active mode (the NTE is altered by means of a controlled external stimulus). Out of the passive mode, the TAI and TtAI indices show the best diagnostic performance, with values of sensitivity and specificity of 89% and 72%, and 83% and 78%, respectively. Instead, from the active mode analysis we get 86% of sensitivity and 83% of specificity for the TRI index. We report data obtained form IR-images of 36 patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type II (DM2) and 18 non-diabetic controls. For both groups the image acquisition is made in passive and active mode, picturing the anterior and posterior views of the lower limbs. With this analysis, we manage to unveil the contra-lateral radiometric asymmetries of the legs, along with the differences between patients and controls. Finally, we report the consistency of these indices with glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), known to be the golden clinical variables used to diagnose DM2.
We report a methodology to analyze data extracted from infrared images. These pictures show the lower limbs of a cohort of individuals belonging to, (1) voluntary controls and (2) patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type II. The analysis is presented in terms of Cross Entropy and temperature distributions; both using the associated thermal histograms. The temperature analysis is placed in terms of comparing the extreme values of dS/dQ, for controls and patients. In this analysis for the frontal view, the values of specificity and sensitivity calculated were 77.77% and 91.66%, respectively. For the back view, the specificity and sensitivity obtained were 88.8% and 83.3%, respectively. Instead of that, the cross-entropy analysis is placed in the modality of self-referencing. In this part of the study we obtained the coefficient of asymmetry and thermal response (ATR). The values of specificity and sensitivity for the ATR quotient in both cases were 83.3%. The results of both studies have a significant correlation with glucose (p < 0.01) and HbA1c (p < 0.01). It means that both approaches have statistical correspondence. By means of the Mann-Whitney U test, for independent samples, we get that the characteristic parameters we analyze can be differentiated among the populations of interest with a significance of p < 0.05. This suggests that both studies show consistency with the clinical diagnosis; exhibiting clear differences between control and patient groups.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.