A comparison of thermography and electromyography in the diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy

We studied 20 asymptomatic control subjects and 14 patients with clinically unequivocal cervical radiculopathy to compare the diagnostic value of thermography with that of electromyography. We measured the average skin temperature of designated regions over the neck, shoulder, and upper extremities. We then compared the temperature between corresponding regions of the two limbs, and between fingers innervated by different roots in the same hand. Thermography was abnormal in 6 patients (43%), whereas electromyography was abnormal in 10 (71%). Thermographic abnormalities were seen only in the hands and fingers, and the pattern did not follow the dermatome of the clinically involved cervical root. When compared to electromyography, thermography provided no additional diagnostic information. Thus, thermography does not have an established role in the evaluation of patients with cervical radiculopathy.     

红外热像图对颈心综合征阻滞疗法的疗效评价

目的 观察星状神经节阻滞治疗颈心综合征的疗效及探讨红外热像图的诊断价值。方法 66例颈心综合征患者分为观察组（36例）和对照组（30例），对照组用常规局部注射和物理治疗，观察组加用星状神经节阻滞，并于治疗前、后用红外热像仪检测2组患者测温点的变化。结果 2组患者在治疗2个疗程后，观察组中有30例患者的症状明显改善，对照组有17例患者症状明显改善，2组疗效比较，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05），红外热像图显示除颈点外，其余各点2组比较，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。结论 星状神经节阻滞对颈心综合征有治疗作用，红外热像图作为颈心综合征的疗效评定方法之一，具有较高的临床实用价值。     

Parameters of thick and thin nerve-fiber functions as predictors of pain in carpal tunnel syndrome

Pain intensity in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) was correlated with neuro- and psychophysiological parameters related to the function of different nerve fiber classes within the median nerve in 23 patients. Control data were obtained from 16 normal subjects.

Mean intensity of all pain attacks which occurred 14 days before surgical treatment was assessed on visual analogue scales (average CTS pain). Functions of thick myelinated nerve fibers were determined by motor and sensory nerve conduction studies. Functions of thin myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers were evaluated by measuring thresholds of warmth, cold and heat pain on the index and little finger. Pain intensity and neurogenic vasodilation following noxious mechano-stimulation on the interdigital web between index and middle finger provided additional information on the functioning of nociceptive nerve fibers. Sympathetic reflexes induced by these painful stimuli were assessed by means of infrared thermography and photoplethysmography.

Mean intensity of pain attacks (40 ± 19% VAS) correlated significantly with latency (r = 0.58, P < 0.01) and amplitude (r = −0.50, P < 0.01) of the compound action potential from abductor pollicis brevis muscle following distal median nerve stimulation. Thresholds of warmth, cold and heat pain on index finger were significantly increased during CTS when compared to the control subjects. The magnitude of neurogenic vasodilation and sympathetic vasoconstrictor reflexes were not significantly different. Average CTS pain correlated inversely to the threshold of heat pain on index (r = −0.46, P < 0.05), but also on the little finger (r = −0.41, P < 0.05), which is not innervated by the median nerve. Pain intensity due to noxious mechano-stimulation was significantly higher in patients than with control persons. In a multiple regression model, with distal motor latency of the median nerve and heat pain threshold on the index finger as independent variables, ongoing pain due to CTS was predicted with R = 0.72 (P < 0.001).

The conclusion is that intensity of pain due to CTS depends on alterations of peripheral and central nervous functions.     

中药贴敷对社区冠心病患者红外热成像及抑郁量表影响的研究

目的通过患者背俞穴、募穴、原穴等特定穴位红外温度的组间比较研究与自身对照研究,观察贴敷法对冠心病的红外热成像及抑郁量表的影响。方法选取沈阳市皇姑区龙江社区冠心病志愿者20例和健康志愿者20名,分为治疗组与健康组。采用红外热成像技术分析治疗组的温度特异性穴位;采用红外热成像技术、抑郁量表(HAMD)分析治疗效应。结果与健康组相比,发现治疗组体表温度特异性穴位(P<0.05)心俞(左)、心俞(右)、大陵(左)、大陵(右)、膻中;在治疗后进行红外热成像的前后对照研究发现膻中、心俞穴有体表温度变化(P<0.05);治疗后,采用HAMD进行抑郁量表评分,治疗前和治疗后比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论冠心病患者背俞穴、募穴、原穴有红外温度低温表现。本研究的贴敷治疗对冠心病患者穴位的刺激可以影响心区体表代谢,贴敷方法还可以缓解冠心病患者抑郁症状。     

Thermography and laser-Doppler flowmetry for monitoring changes in finger skin blood flow upon cigarette smoking

Summary. Haemodynamic changes after smoking two 1·1 mg nicotine cigarettes were monitored in 24 smokers on two different occasions. Smoking caused an increase in heart rate and arterial blood pressure, whereas finger temperature as measured by thermography and finger skin blood flow as measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) decreased. Lowest values were seen within 15 min by LDF, and after 30 min by thermography. Changes in the two methods correlated closely, however, when maximum responses during a 45-min period after smoking were compared. The wider distribution of LDF values would seem to be due to the small measuring volume which is susceptible to differences in vascular anatomy and reactivity. In both methods, responses showed a high degree of reproducibility.     

软组织损伤红外热像图的诊断价值

目的 探讨软组织损伤颈、肩、腰、腿、肘、腕红外热像图的诊断价值。方法应用WP-95型红外热像仪，对221例常规军事训练1～5年的年轻干部及战士进行红外热像仪的全身检查，并与刚入伍未参加训练的新兵100例进行对照。结果221例经红外热像图检查发现颈、肩、腰、肘、腕出现异常热像图的有180例，占81．45％；而100例新战士仅有6例颈、肩、腰、肘、腕出现异常热像图，占6．00％，两者比较差异有显著性（P〈0．05）。186例异常热像图受检者全部做x线摄片检查，X线摄片异常者仅28例，占15．05％，两者检查比较差异有显著性（P〈0．05）。结论红外热像图对军事训练所致软组织损伤有其独特的异常热像图，为临床提供明确的诊断信息，正确的使用红外热像图，对保证部队广大指战员的健康水平有着重要作用。     

红外线对大鼠睾丸脂质过氧化作用的影响

目的通过研究红外线对大鼠睾丸脂质过氧化作用,探讨红外线对睾丸生殖功能的影响。方法采用不同波段的红外线对大鼠睾丸局部照射,并与对照组进行比较,研究不同组别睾丸组织超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）、谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶（GST）的活性及丙二醛（MDA）、谷胱甘肽（GSH）的含量等指标。结果红外线照射大鼠睾丸组织中MDA含量升高、GSH含量下降,各照射组与对照组比较差异均有显著性（P〈0.05,P〈0.01）;SOD、GSH-Px及GST活性均降低,与对照组比较差异均有统计学差异（P〈0.05,P〈0.01）。结论红外线照射可造成睾丸组织抗氧化能力降低,脂质过氧化作用增强,这可能是红外线对睾丸的生殖功能造成损害的重要原因之一。     

银质针松解术治疗田径运动员慢性腰臀腿软组织损伤性疼痛的红外热成像临床观察

目的观察银质针针刺疗法对田径：运动员慢性腰臀腿软组织损伤性疼痛的疗效。方法对30例慢性腰臀腿软组织疼痛的患者进行银质针针刺治疗,于治疗前、治疗后即刻、治疗后两个月采用视觉模拟评分法（VAS）对两组患者疼痛程度和红外热成像仪描记出病变区域的温度变化情况并进行评价。结果治疗后患者的疼痛VAS评分和病变区域温度在针刺后即刻、针刺后两月较治疗前均有明显改善（P〈0．01）。结论银质针治疗田径运动员慢性腰臀腿软组织疼痛具有较好的远期疗效。