Dynamic Thermal Models for Human Body Dissipation

The IR emissivity of human skin is extremly high and measurements of infrared radiation emitted by the skin can be converted directly into accurate temperature value. This process is known as Body IR Thermography. Skin temperature increase associated with increased vascular flow and increased metabolism. In this paper a novel multi-resolution real-time 3D thermal imaging system as potential solution for a human body 3D thermal models standardisation is presented. The system consists of a high-resolution offline 3D scanner and a real-time low-resolution 3D scanner, both of them paired together with a thermal imaging camera. The emphasis of this paper is the presentation of the novel concept of the standardisation of human body 3D thermal models, captured by the multi-resolution real-time 3D thermal imaging system. The standardisation procedure utilises skeleton detection, skeleton transformation, mesh optimisation, and texture mapping. The presented concept enables novel and practical methods for human body 3D thermal models comparison and analysis

Experimental verification of heat source parameter stimation from 3D thermograms

Major amount of thermal radiation emitted by objects is located in a small part of the infrared spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, called the thermal infrared spectrum, and can be observed and measured using thermal infrared measurement cameras. Measuring heat transfer by radiation has proven to be very valuable inmedicine. One such medical application is the early detection and monitoring of breast cancers. Since tumors cause the rise in local tissue temperature, they can be observed as small embedded heat sources. The focus of this paper is the construction of new artificial test sets for heat source parameter estimation (such as the source depth, volume and intensity/size), to be used before clinical trials. Amixture of ballistic gelatin was used as a heat conductance medium, while a resistor grid (consisting of nine resistors) was used as a heat source, embedded inside the gelatin. Simulation procedure was conducted, resulting in a rank list of parameter configurations for every heat source of the grid. The expected values of parameters were found to be high on the configuration list,with about the first 20% of configurations present in the search space. This paper shows a convenient and effective way of testing parameter estimation methods. On the other hand, although ballistic gelatin presents a homogeneous mixture for heat transfer, with similar density and elastic properties as the living tissue, it does not necessarily have the same thermal conductance. Therfore the possibilities for future development of new materials for comparing parameter estimation methods on artificial test sets should be considered, as well as development ofmore complex materials consisting ofmultiple layers and thus more accurately emulating the heat dispersion in human bodies

Experimental verification of heat source parameter stimation from 3D thermograms

Major amount of thermal radiation emitted by objects is located in a small part of the infrared spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, called the thermal infrared spectrum, and can be observed and measured using thermal infrared measurement cameras. Measuring heat transfer by radiation has proven to be very valuable inmedicine. One such medical application is the early detection and monitoring of breast cancers. Since tumors cause the rise in local tissue temperature, they can be observed as small embedded heat sources. The focus of this paper is the construction of new artificial test sets for heat source parameter estimation (such as the source depth, volume and intensity/size), to be used before clinical trials. Amixture of ballistic gelatin was used as a heat conductance medium, while a resistor grid (consisting of nine resistors) was used as a heat source, embedded inside the gelatin. Simulation procedure was conducted, resulting in a rank list of parameter configurations for every heat source of the grid. The expected values of parameters were found to be high on the configuration list,with about the first 20% of configurations present in the search space. This paper shows a convenient and effective way of testing parameter estimation methods. On the other hand, although ballistic gelatin presents a homogeneous mixture for heat transfer, with similar density and elastic properties as the living tissue, it does not necessarily have the same thermal conductance. Therfore the possibilities for future development of new materials for comparing parameter estimation methods on artificial test sets should be considered, as well as development ofmore complex materials consisting ofmultiple layers and thus more accurately emulating the heat dispersion in human bodies

Computer supported thermography monitoring of hand strength evaluation by electronic dynamometer in rheumatoid arthritis – a pilot study

This paper describes the implementation of a new dynamometer system with thermography monitoring of heat dissipation, and the implications of this new system in physiatry, rheumatology and neurology. The system includes a single data processing algorithm and the concept of motor hand function evaluation involving the determination of quantitative indicators. In rehabilitation medicine, muscle function is assessed during the physical examination of a patient. Although a simple computer- supported approved dynamometer instrument improves the assessment of static strength, it is rarely used in clinical practice where dynamic measurements are preferred. A computer-assisted electronic dynamometer has been developed to enable a clinician to measure dynamic muscle function in standardized manner. Dynamometer comprises a force transducer and a movement transducer interfaced to a personal computer. In the study, dynamic measurement protocols were used that are based on biomechanical analysis. During the execution of test exercise used the method of thermographic recording of heat dissipation using dedicated software for analysis of characteristic parameters. The results obtained showed the possibility of objectification biomechanical properties and heat dissipative characteristics of the hand. The results of data analysis from calculated characteristic parameters show the correlationwith patients’ clinical status, i.e. the motor status of the hand and efficiency of temperature monitoring (standard deviation 0.92.). From the results of this pilot-study it can be concluded that computer supported dynamometer might be suitable for use in diagnostics in physical and rehabilitation medicine, possibily in conjuction with thermography. Further studies on larger numbers of participants are needed to evaluate these preliminary results

Dynamic Thermal Models for Human Body Dissipation

The IR emissivity of human skin is extremly high and measurements of infrared radiation emitted by the skin can be converted directly into accurate temperature value. This process is known as Body IR Thermography. Skin temperature increase associated with increased vascular flow and increased metabolism. In this paper a novel multi-resolution real-time 3D thermal imaging system as potential solution for a human body 3D thermal models standardisation is presented. The system consists of a high-resolution offline 3D scanner and a real-time low-resolution 3D scanner, both of them paired together with a thermal imaging camera. The emphasis of this paper is the presentation of the novel concept of the standardisation of human body 3D thermal models, captured by the multi-resolution real-time 3D thermal imaging system. The standardisation procedure utilises skeleton detection, skeleton transformation, mesh optimisation, and texture mapping. The presented concept enables novel and practical methods for human body 3D thermal models comparison and analysis

Comparison of Fetal Plasma Cortisol Level between Eutrophic and Hypotrophic Newborns

We tested two groups of singletons born at term: fifty-six eutrophic newborns and 56 hypotrophic subjects. They randomly from all newborns delivered by vaginal route between 8 and 14 hours. Excluded were preeclampsia, diabetes, labours longer than 12 hours and newborns with malformations. Written informed consent was obtained from all women and data were collected before and after labour. Umbilical cord blood samples were obtained immediately following the delivery and plasma cortisol concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. The groups did not differ significantly regarding maternal age, parity, gestational age and Apgar score, but birth weight was significant differed (p<0.001). In addition, eutrophic newborns had significantly elevated cortisol levels (457.7 nmol/L, 321.8–696.6 nmol/L) compared with hypotrophic newborns (320.5 nmol/L, 215.1–578.7 nmol/L, p<0.001). The role of fetal cortisol in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) pregnancy and labour is uncertain, but fetal plasma cortisol levels may be lower in IUGR newborns