Application of thermography for non-invasive diagnosis of thyroid gland disease
Application of thermography for non-invasive diagnosis of thyroid gland disease
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DOI：
10.1109/tbme.2008.915731
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发表时间：
2008-03-01
影响因子：
4.6
通讯作者：
Rizkalla, Maher
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Helmy, Ahdy;Holdmann, Michael;Rizkalla, Maher
在本文中，一个基于计算机的原型设备设计的基础上，一个经济的非侵入性系统，可以检测和显示相对皮肤温度的变化存在于人类患者患有甲状腺疾病。这样的系统可用于增强医生在诊断甲状腺时遵循的正常程序，以检测腺体内的过度活跃区域。由于过度活跃的结节是血流和化学活性增加的中心，因此它也可能是热感应可检测到的产热中心。本文还提出了一种有限元分析（FEA）的热甲状腺结节，用于调查的温度分布与原型。建立的仪器模型是基于从不同患者获得的甲状腺结节的实际尺寸的人体模型。用Visual Basic语言编写了一个软件程序，用于检测热斑周围的温度分布。该软件还包含最小化与体温相关的热噪声的方法。FEA使用与实际设置中相同的边界值。这包括热点及其周围环境的温度的初始值。有限元模拟的结果有助于选择的固态传感器中使用的仪器的热成像系统。所选传感器的功能和动态性能根据规格进行校准。这种新的非侵入性诊断技术被应用于印第安纳州大学（IU）医院的格雷夫斯病患者，并与现有的利用I扫描的方案进行了比较。新的诊断方法的结果与现有的方法是一致的。
In this paper, a computer-based prototype device was designed based on an economical noninvasive system that could detect and display the relative skin temperature variations present in human patients suffering from thyroid disorders. Such a system could be used to augment the normal procedures followed by the physician in diagnosing the thyroid to detect areas of hyperactivity within the gland. Because a hyperactive nodule is a center of increased blood flow and chemical activity, it might be also a center of heat production that is detectable by thermal sensing. This paper also presents a finite-element analysis (FEA) of a hot thyroid nodule that is used for investigating the temperature distribution in conjunction with the prototype. The instrumentation model built was based on actual dimensional human model for thyroid nodules obtained from various patients. A software program was written in Visual Basic to detect the temperature distribution around the hot spot. The software also incorporates means to minimize the thermal noise associated with the body temperature. The FEA utilizes the same boundary values used in the practical settings. This includes initial values of temperatures for the hot spot and its surroundings. The results of the finite-element simulation assisted in the selection of the solid state sensors that were used in the instrumentation of the thermographic system. The selected sensors were calibrated for their functionality and dynamic performance according to the specifications. The new noninvasive diagnostic technique was applied to patients having Graves' diseases at the Indiana University (IU) Hospital, and compared with the existing scheme that utilizes I Scan. The results of the new diagnostic method were in good agreement with the current existing method.