Application of Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(DITI) to the Evaluation of Blood Supply of Lower Abdominal Flap in Rabbit

ABSTRACT

The monitoring method of the flap for detecting the compromise of vascular circulation has been developed in order to prevent flap loss in the microsurgery. The ideal flap monitor for the flaps would show the vascularity and circulation state of the flap, any time, any place easily. The concept that the skin temperature is up to the vascularity under the skin, rendered to apply IR(infrared) thermometer as quantitative analysis and IRIS-2000 (digital infrared thermographic imaging DITI) as geographic analysis to the several kinds of flap in 15 New Zealand white rabbits. The IR thermometer showed that the nearer to the pedicle, the higher temperature quantitatively. The DITI scan showed to us like below. The nearer to the pedicle, the higher temperature color in DITI scan image. The DITI scan image of myocutaneous flap had higher temperature color than that of fasciocutaneous flap. In case of cut down of one side vascular pedicle, the DITI scan image of the pedicle-cut-down side showed lower temperature color than the opposite side. So, the better blood supply in the area of the flap, the higher temperature as color image in DITI scan. We supposed that the DITI would help to estimate the circulation of the flap as its color image, based on skin temperature.