Visualization of Internal Structure Using a Difference in Thermal Transport Properties

Abstract

Several methods have been used for non-invasively visualizing structures inside our body. We have proposed a new method named laser-scanning thermography that visualizes information under the surface using difference in thermal transport properties of tissues including blood perfusion. To experimentally examine the feasibility of this method, we carried out an experiment to detect the presence of an aluminum rod in an agarose gel by heating the surface of the gel with a sheet laser and measuring the distribution of surface temperature with an infrared camera.