Assessment of the pertinence of infrared thermography as a diagnostic tool in sinusitis

Abstract

Sinusitis is a frequent otorhinolaryngologic disease, often misdiagnosed. None of the usual imaging equipment is specific, quick or efficient enough for sinusitis diagnosis. Misdiagnosis induces unnecessary health expenditures as well as a risk of antibiotic resistant strain development. Our study (with one healthy control subject, two pathological subjects) shows that infrared thermography could be an efficient, low-cost and non-invasive diagnostic tool for clinical purposes. A cohort study is necessary to establish threshold values for systematic reliable diagnosis.

The employment of thermographic examinations in the diagnostics of diseases of the paranasal sinuses

“…Within the past few years, several articles in otolaryngology, maxillofacial surgery, allergology and paediatrics concerning the employment of thermography in the diagnostics and monitoring of treatment progress of inflammations of the maxillary sinuses have been published. [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Bihl et al 22 assessed the thermograms of patients entitled to surgeries of the maxillary sinuses relating them to a clinical and histopathological diagnosis and a radiological image. They state that there is a possibility of differentiating between cystic lesions and acute and chronic inflammations, although the presented data are not fully unambiguous.…”

“…The norm amounts to up to 0.5°C. 15,19,25,27,28,30,32,35 On the basis of the experiments performed and the observation, it was determined that temperatures .0.5°C in comparison with the temperature of the symmetrical body area may indicate the occurrence of a pathological state. 15,19,25,27,28,30,32,35 In the course of the diagnostic proceeding, radiological examinations were performed in the patients, which allowed the determination of the severity of inflammatory lesions/cystic lesions in the maxillary sinuses.…”

“…15,19,25,27,28,30,32,35 On the basis of the experiments performed and the observation, it was determined that temperatures .0.5°C in comparison with the temperature of the symmetrical body area may indicate the occurrence of a pathological state. 15,19,25,27,28,30,32,35 In the course of the diagnostic proceeding, radiological examinations were performed in the patients, which allowed the determination of the severity of inflammatory lesions/cystic lesions in the maxillary sinuses. The analysis of available radiological examinations (a radiograph of the sinuses in Water's projection, CT of the sinuses and CBCT of the sinuses) with respect to the degree of pneumatization loss of the maxillary sinuses involved describing changes in the radiological image by means of one's own three-graded scale, where 0 is for radiologically healthy sinus(es), 1 is for a partial loss of sinus pneumatization and 2 is for a total loss of maxillary sinus pneumatization.…”

“…[14][15][16][17][18][19] On the basis of the experiments performed and the observation, it was determined that temperatures $0.5°C in comparison with the temperature of the surrounding tissues or the symmetrical body area may indicate the occurrence of a pathological state. 15,19,21,25,27,28,30,32,35 So far many articles assessing the usefulness of thermographic diagnostics in different areas of medicine: allergology, 15,16,27 angiology, 15,16 cardiology 15,16 and cardiac surgery, 15,16 dermatology, 15,16 orthopaedics, 15,16 oncology, 15,16 rheumatology 15,16 and rehabilitation [15][16][17][18] have been published. The use of thermography in the diagnostics of pathologies in the areas of the head and neck including the paranasal sinuses has also been described in publications in laryngology, maxillofacial surgery and dentistry.…”

“…The use of thermography in the diagnostics of pathologies in the areas of the head and neck including the paranasal sinuses has also been described in publications in laryngology, maxillofacial surgery and dentistry. [28][29][30][31][32] In the presented article, the results of thermographic examinations of the paranasal sinuses were related to clinical diagnoses with respect to aetiology, changes in the radiological image as well as the degree of their intensity, a histopathological diagnosis, the presence of acute symptoms in the past and the time which elapsed between the occurrence of the first clinical symptoms of sinusitis noticed by the patient and the moment of surgical treatment implementation.…”