研究目的
To use infrared thermography to discern whether there is an infection in patients with a central venous catheter and if so, to undertake a close follow-up of its evolution, after administering a therapy.
研究成果
The preliminary results suggest that infrared thermography can detect CVC-related complications like infection or thrombosis by quantifying thermal asymmetry in children with cancer. TA values were higher in cases with suspected infection and decreased after treatment, indicating its potential for diagnosis and monitoring. Future research with larger populations is needed to establish reference values and confirm these findings.
研究不足
The most important limitation is the small sample size. Other limitations include not evaluating the influence of factors like type or severity of disease, body mass index, brown adipose tissue distribution, age, or sex. There was no temporal relationship with chemotherapy administration, but the type of intravenous fluid and infusion rate were not studied. Measurements prior to catheter insertion were not taken to establish a baseline.
1：Experimental Design and Method Selection:
A case/control-type pilot study was designed. Infrared thermography was used to measure Thermal Asymmetry (TA) by comparing mean and maximum temperatures between affected and contralateral regions of interest (ROIs). The protocol was adapted for evaluating oncological child patients, with images taken in controlled environmental conditions (room temperature 24±1°C, humidity 50±5%).
2：Sample Selection and Data Sources:
The study included four children with suspected PICC line infection (cases) and four matched controls without infection, selected from the Hospital Clínico Universitario in Valencia. Patients were matched by sex and age, and all had PICC lines inserted through peripheral arm veins.
3：List of Experimental Equipment and Materials:
A FLIR E-60 infrared camera with 320x240 IR resolution, NETD <0.05°C, and measurement uncertainty of ±2°C or 2% was used. Calibration was checked with a BX-500 IR Infrared Calibrator (CEM, Shenzhen, China). Software used was FLIR Thermacam Researcher Pro 2.10 for data analysis.
4：05°C, and measurement uncertainty of ±2°C or 2% was used. Calibration was checked with a BX-500 IR Infrared Calibrator (CEM, Shenzhen, China). Software used was FLIR Thermacam Researcher Pro 10 for data analysis.
Experimental Procedures and Operational Workflow:
4. Experimental Procedures and Operational Workflow: Thermal images were taken from a distance of 1 meter after a 10-minute acclimatization period and camera stabilization. Images were captured in anterior view where possible, but adjustments were made for patient comfort. ROIs were defined around the catheter insertion site and contralateral area. TA was calculated as TAMean and TAMax differences.
5：Data Analysis Methods:
Descriptive statistics (mean, min, max, standard deviation) were computed for temperatures in ROIs using the FLIR software. TA values were compared between groups (controls, cases at diagnosis, cases during follow-up) to assess infection presence and treatment response.
独家科研数据包，助您复现前沿成果，加速创新突破
获取完整内容
