08 Mar 2008 12:28:38 | Brenda Witt
Digital technology now makes Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging
available to all. There now is a completely safe test that can
aid in diagnosis, treatment and monitoring with absolutely no
risk or radiation exposure.
DITI, or digital infrared thermal imaging, is a noninvasive
diagnostic test that allows a health practitioner to see and
measure changes in skin surface temperature. An infrared
scanning camera translates infrared radiation emitted from the
skin surface and records them on a color monitor. This visual
image graphically maps the body temperature and is referred to
as a thermogram. The spectrum of colors indicates an increase or
decrease in the amount of infrared radiation being emitted from
the body surface. In healthy people, there is a symmetrical skin
pattern which is consistent and reproducible for any individual.
DITI is highly sensitive and can therefore be used clinically to
detect disease in the vascular, muscular, neural and skeletal
systems. Medical DITI has been used extensively in human
medicine in the United States, Europe and Asia for the past 20
years. Until now, bulky equipment has hindered its diagnostic
and economic feasibility. Now, PC-based infrared technology
designed specifically for clinical application has changed all
this.
Clinical uses for DITI include, defining the extent of a lesion
of which a diagnosis has previously been made (for example,
vascular disease); localizing an abnormal area not previously
identified, so further diagnostic tests can be performed (as in
Irritable Bowel Syndrome); detecting early lesions before they
are clinically evident (as in breast cancer or other breast
diseases); and monitoring the healing process before a patient
returns to work or training (as in workman’s compensation
claims).
Medical DITI is filling the gap in clinical diagnosis; X-ray,
Computed Tomography, Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI), are tests of anatomy or structure. DITI is unique in its
capability to show physiological or functional changes and
metabolic processes. It has also proven to be a very useful
complementary procedure to other diagnostic procedures. Unlike
most diagnostic modalities DITI is non invasive. It is a very
sensitive and reliable means of graphically mapping and
displaying skin surface temperature. With DITI you can
diagnosis, evaluate, monitor and document a large number of
injuries and conditions, including soft tissue injuries and
sensory/autonomic nerve fiber dysfunction. Medical DITI can
offer considerable financial savings by avoiding the need for
more expensive investigation for many patients. Medical DITI can
graphically display the biased feeling of pain by accurately
displaying the changes in skin surface temperature. Disease
states commonly associated with pain include Reflex Sympathetic
Dystrophy or RSD, Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid arthritis.
Medical DITI can show a combined effect of the autonomic nervous
system and the vascular system, down to capillary dysfunctions.
The effects of these changes reveal an asymmetry in temperature
distribution on the surface of the body. DITI is a monitor of
thermal abnormalities present in a number of diseases and
physical injuries. It is used as an aid for diagnosis and
prognosis, as well as therapy follow up and rehabilitation
monitoring, within clinical fields that include rheumatology,
neurology, physiotherapy, sports medicine, oncology, pediatrics,
orthopedics and many others.
Results obtained with medical DITI systems are totally objective
and show excellent correlation with other diagnostic tests.
Thermographic screening is not covered by most insurance
companies but is surprisingly affordable for most people. For
more information or to find a certified clinic in your area, go
to www.proactivehealthonline.com.
About Author :
Brenda Witt is co-owner of Proactive Health Solutions in
Southern California. She has worked in the medical field for 9
years and is now an American College of Clinical Thermology
(ACCT) certified thermographer in the Orange County area. To
contact Brenda, email her at brenda@proactivehealthonline.com.