Detecting bone lesions in the emergency room with medical infrared thermography.

INTRODUCTION: Low- to high-energy impact trauma may cause from small fissures up to extended bone losses, which can be classified as closed or opened injuries (when they are visible at a naked eye). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of clinical diagnosis of bone trauma through medical infrared thermography, in a hospital emergency room. METHODS: Forty-five patients with suspected diagnosis of bone fracture were evaluated by means of medical infrared images, and the data correlated with the gold standard radiographic images, in the anteroposterior, lateral, and oblique views, at the orthopedic emergency department. The control group consisted of thermal images of the contralateral reference limb of the volunteers themselves. Data were acquired with a medical grade infrared camera in the regions of interest (ROIs) of leg, hand, forearm, clavicle, foot, and ankle. RESULTS: In all patients evaluated with a diagnosis of bone fracture, the mean temperature of the affected limb showed a positive difference greater than 0.9 °C (towards the contralateral), indicating the exact location of the bone trauma according, while the areas diagnosed with reduced blood supply, showed a mean temperature with a negative variation. CONCLUSION: Clinical evaluation using infrared imaging indicates a high applicability potential as a tool to support quick diagnosis of bone fractures in patients with acute orthopedic trauma in an emergency medical setting. The thermal results showed important physiological data related to vascularization of the bone fracture and areas adjacent to the trauma well correlated to radiographic examinations.

Forehead, Temple and Wrist Temperature Assessment of Ethnic Groups using Infrared Technology.

Non-contact infrared sensors are widely used as a diagnostic tool for elevated body temperature during initial screening for coronaviruses. The aim of this study was to investigate the thermal differences at three anatomical points: temple, forehead, and wrist, in the initial screening for temperature indicative of febrile and non-febrile states in skin pigmentation variations in Black, Half-Black and Caucasian skins, correlated with height and weight variables. Temperatures were obtained by means of an infrared thermometer in 289 volunteers with mean age of 18.30 ± 0.76, in a controlled environment according to Singapore Standard, SS582 part 1 and 2, normative standard IEC 80601-2-59, with standard technical protocols established by the International Organization for Standardization, ISO / TR 13154. The data were processed in MATLAB® R2021a, and data normality verified by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, non-parametric data paired between temple / forehead / wrist were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The results show different median temperatures in these anatomical regions, 37.2°C at the temple, 36.8°C at the forehead and 36.4°C at the wrist. As the temple region presents a temperature higher than the other investigated regions and, therefore, close to the core temperature, it should be considered for the initial screening of SARS-CoV-2 when using non-contact infrared thermometers. Furthermore, no significant changes were found due to variation in skin tone, height, or weight.

Evaluation of Tibia Bone Healing by Infrared Thermography: A Case Study.

BACKGROUND: Thermal imaging has been used as a clinical follow-up technique in several medical specialties. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using medical thermography in the diagnosis and follow-up assessment of a severe orthopedic trauma that requires the use of an external circular fixator. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty clinical follow-ups of thermal imaging correlated with X-ray images were performed in a male volunteer, diagnosed with bone nonunion, during 11 months of treatment, in the hospital trauma and reconstruction department. Data were acquired in the regions of interest of the proximal tibia, diaphysis and distal, with a Flir T530 medical grade infrared camera from Flir Systems®, and the data processed by the Matlab® 2019 custom made software. RESULTS: Statistical analysis was performed by Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The results showed a median temperature of 22.2°C, and thus some periods of interruption in the healing process between the third and twentieth clinical follow-up, and a significant increase of the temperature to 34.6°C synchronous with a diagnosis of bone infection by the eleventh clinical follow-up. The thermal images acquired during the 20 clinical follow-ups allow a correlation with the data from the X-ray exams and also with the contralateral limb of the evaluated patient, showing thermal alterations greater than 0.3°C, which are significant of physiological abnormality. CONCLUSION: The thermography exam can be a useful tool for applying on the follow-up of patients after trauma or bone fracture. The results showed important physiological data related to the vascularization necessary for bone repairing, being therefore a good indicator of the healing process. In addition, as infrared thermography does not use ionizing radiation, it can be used countlessly, in complement to the traditional X-ray exams that focus on anatomical data analysis.

Influence of sensor mass and adipose tissue on the mechanomyography signal of elbow flexor muscles.

Mechanomyography (MMG) is a non-invasive technique that records muscle contraction using sensors positioned on the skin's surface. Therefore, it can have its signal attenuated due to the adipose tissue, directly influencing the results. This study evaluates the influence of different mass added to a sensor's assembly and the adipose tissue on MMG signals of elbow flexor muscles. Test protocol consisted of skinfold thickness measurement of 22 volunteers, followed by applying 2-3 s electrical stimulation for muscle contraction during the acquisition of MMG signals. MMG signals were processed in the time domain, using the average of the absolute amplitude, and expressed in gravity values (G), termed here as MMG(G). Tests occurred four times with different sensor masses. MMG data were processed and analyzed statistically using Friedman and Kruskal-Wallis tests to determine the differences between the MMG signals measured with different sensor masses. The Mann-Whitney analysis indicated differences in the MMG signals between groups with different skinfold thickness. MMG(G) signals suffered attenuation with increasing sensor mass (0.4416 G to 0.94 g; 0.3902 G to 2.64 g; 0.3762 G to 5.44 g; 0.3762 G to 7.14 g) and adipose tissue.

Symmetric-electromyographic analysis in the evaluation of scoliosis treatment / Análise por simetrografia e eletromiografia na avaliação de tratamento da escoliose / Análisis por simetrografía y electromiografía en la evaluación de tratamiento de la escoliosis

INTRODUCTION: Scoliosis is a three-dimensional deformity of the spine, characterized by a lateral shift that affects body posture. The Pilates Method (PM) promotes alterations in the biomechanics and neuromuscular activation pattern. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze electromyography (EMG) and symmetrography (SMTG) technologies applied in the evaluation of neuromuscular and postural effects on right convex thoracolumbar scoliosis (RCTS) after applying a PM therapeutic protocol. METHODS: This is an exploratory study of 5 male and female adolescents, with an average age of 14.4 years. The subjects underwent postural asymmetry assessments through SMTG and neuromuscular assessment through surface EMG of the trapezius (TRAP), erector spinae (ERE), oblique (OBLI) and rectus abdominis (RA) muscles. The electromyographic signals were processed in the temporal (EMGAmp) and spectral (EMGFmed) domains. The therapeutic protocol consisted of 24 sessions of Pilates floor exercises held twice a week with a duration of 45 minutes. RESULTS: There was an improvement in scoliosis and asymmetric shoulders in one subject (20%) and in three other subjects with hip asymmetry. There was an improvement in one subject (33.33%), as demonstrated by SMTG. EMGAmp measurements demonstrated a significant difference between before and after (p≈0) and among the muscles (p≈0). EMGFmed measurements demonstrated that there was only a difference between before and after (p≈0). It was verified that the most noteworthy muscles in terms of EMGAmp were TRAP and ERE, emphasizing the existence of an increase in the mean EMGAmp for ERE. Muscle behavior for measurements in EMGFmed demonstrated a higher mean increase for RA and OBLI muscles. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the EMG and SMTG technologies are important tests for monitoring the progress of scoliosis and in treatment decisions. Level of Evidence III; Diagnostic Studies - Investigating diagnostic tests.

INTRODUÇÃO: A escoliose é uma deformidade tridimensional da coluna vertebral, caracterizada por um desvio lateral que afeta a postura corporal. O método Pilates (MP) promove alterações na biomecânica e no padrão de ativação neuromuscular. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a eletromiografia (EMG) e a simetrografia (SMTG) aplicadas na avaliação dos efeitos neuromusculares e posturais sobre a escoliose toracolombar destro-convexa (ETLDC), após aplicação de um protocolo terapêutico do MP. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo exploratório com cinco adolescentes de ambos os sexos, com média de idade de 14,4 anos. Os pesquisados foram submetidos a avaliações de assimetria postural por meio da SMTG e avaliação neuromuscular por meio da EMG de superfície dos músculos trapézio (TRAP), eretores da espinha (ERE), oblíquos (OBLI) e reto do abdome (RA). Os sinais eletromiográficos foram processados nos domínios temporal (EMGAmp) e espectral (EMGFmed). O protocolo terapêutico foi constituído por 24 sessões do MP de solo, aplicado duas vezes por semana, com duração de 45 minutos. RESULTADOS: Houve melhora da escoliose e dos ombros assimétricos em um indivíduo (20%) e em três outros com assimetria de quadril; houve melhora em um indivíduo, (33,33%), de acordo com a SMTG. As medidas da EMGAmp demonstraram diferença significativa entre antes e depois (p≈0) e entre os músculos (p≈0). As medidas da EMGFmed demonstraram que houve diferença apenas entre antes e depois (p≈0). Verificou-se que os músculos de maior destaque para EMGAmp foram TRAP e ERE, ressaltando que houve um aumento na média de EMGAmp para ERE. O comportamento da musculatura para as medidas em EMGFmed demonstrou aumento médio superior para os músculos RA e OBLI. CONCLUSÃO: Conclui-se que as tecnologias da EMG e a SMTG são importantes exames no acompanhamento do quadro evolutivo da escoliose e nas decisões de tratamento. Nível de Evidência III; Estudos Diagnósticos - Investigação de testes diagnósticos.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La escoliosis es una deformidad tridimensional de la columna vertebral, caracterizada por un desvío lateral que afecta la postura corporal. El método Pilates (MP) promueve alteraciones en la biomecánica y en el patrón de activación neuromuscular. OBJETIVO: El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la electromiografía (EMG) y la simetrografía (SMTG) aplicadas en la evaluación de los efectos neuromusculares y posturales sobre la escoliosis toracolumbar dextroconvexa (ETLDC) después de aplicación de un protocolo terapéutico del MP. MÉTODOS: Se trata de un estudio exploratorio con cinco adolescentes de ambos sexos con edad promedio de 14,4 años. Los encuestados fueron sometidos a evaluaciones de asimetría postural por medio de la SMTG y evaluación neuromuscular por medio de la EMG de superficie de los músculos trapecio (TRAP), erectores espinales (ERE), oblicuos (OBLI) y recto abdominal (RA). Las señales electromiográficas fueron procesadas en los dominios temporal (EMGAmp) y espectral (EMGFmed). El protocolo terapéutico fue constituido por 24 sesiones de MP de suelo, aplicado dos veces por semana, con duración de 45 minutos. RESULTADOS: Hubo mejora de la escoliosis y de los hombros asimétricos en un individuo (20%) y en tres otros con asimetría de cadera; hubo mejora en un individuo, (33,33%), de acuerdo con la SMTG. Las medidas de la EMGAmp demostraron diferencia significativa entre antes y después (p≈0) y entre los músculos (p≈0). Las medidas de la EMGFmed demostraron que hubo diferencia sólo entre antes y después (p≈0). Se verificó que los músculos de mayor destaque para EMGAmp fueron TRAP y ERE, resaltando que hubo un aumento en el promedio de EMGAmp para ERE. El comportamiento de la musculatura para las medidas en EMGFmed demostró un aumento promedio superior para los músculos RA y OBLI. CONCLUSIÓN: Se concluye que las tecnologías de la EMG y la SMTG son importantes exámenes en el acompañamiento del cuadro evolutivo de la escoliosis y en las decisiones die tratamiento. Nivel de evidencia III, Estudios Diagnósticos - Investigación de Exámenes Diagnósticos.