Both types of developmental thermography, three-sided thermography (T.S.T) and panoramic thermography(P.T.), have been applied to the clinical examination of various diseases, mainly cancer. After discussing the results from various viewpoints, the medical advantages and usefulness of these techniques have been evaluated as follows : 1) Common advantages of T.S.T. and P.T. : (1) Examination of the temperature distribution over a 3-dimensional surface of a subject is possible. (2) Comparison and detection of the difference in temperature on symmetrical parts of a subject is easily performed. (3) Thermal abnormalities on a subject can be easily detected. (4) Available for standardized thermography.(5) Easy operation and short examination time.2) Uuique advantage of T.S.T. : Examination of the temperature distribution on 3 sides of a subject is possible, and the coverage, or viewing angle, of the lateral images is variable.3) Unique advantages of P.T. (1) Precise examination of the continuous temperature distribution on a 3-dimensional curved surface of a subject is possible. (2) The coverage in P.T. is variable up to the entire surface of a subject. (3) This continuous image with wide coverage makes it extermely suitable for thermographic screening tests. (4) Image magnification along the developmental axis of high resolution can be applied to detailed examination of the thermograms. (5) In P.T. a thermal image of high fidelity to the target can be taken because of the minimal meausring angle of the thermocamera to the target. Thus more accurate data analysis can be performed in P.T. than with conventional plane-scanning thermography, and mistaken diagnoses can be completely prevented.
View full abstract