• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

Purpose : This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of herb medicine on climacteric woman with numbness of lower limbs by using Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(DITI). Methods : The patient was 56-year-old female who was suffering from numbness, cold hypersensitivity of lower limbs and hot flush. We treated her using herb medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion. The progress of symptoms were evaluated by DITI, and then we compared DITI before treatment and after treatment. Results : After treatment, visual analog scale of numbness and cold hypersensitivity of lower limbs were decreased and frequency of hot flush was also decreased. The temperature of forehead got lower than that before treatment and the temperature of LR3 and ST32 got higher than those before treatment on DITI. Conclusion : This result suggest that DITI can be used for assessment after treatment on climacteric symptoms with numbness of lower limbs.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to report the effect of Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM) on amenorrhea which oligomenorrhea has become worse. and to investigate the change of body temperature measured by Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(DITI). Methods : The patient in this case was 29-year-old female. The chief complain was amenorrhea which oligomenorrhea has become worse. We treated her by TKM. and evaluated the progress of symptoms by DITI. And then We compared DITI before treatment and after treatment. Results :After TKM treatment. the differences of temperature between Indang(印堂) and the four abdominal sites(CV4,6,12,17) were decreased on DITI. respectively. Conclusion : TKM treatment is effective on amenorrhea which oligomenorrhea has become worse. And DITI could be useful to assess the amenorrhea objectively. But more research should be needed.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.152-158
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• 2000

Backgroud and Objectives： Because the pain is subjective in human, we frequently need the objective tool for estimation of pain. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is a method for pain grading, but it is also a subjective method. The purpose of this study is to seek an objective method for measurement of pain. Author suggests that the estimation of local body temperature may be associated with the severity of pain in tonsillar disease and the change of it measured by Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI), may also be correlated with the change of pain. Materials and Method : Four groups were selected and measured for VAS and body temperature in DITI. Group A and B were post-tonsillectomy groups divided by age. Group C was acute tonsillitis group. Group D was peritonsillar abscess group. Results : In Group A and B, the subjective VAS was significantly correlated with objective local body temperature (correlation coefficient r=0.673, 0.647) and significant correlation was also present in acute tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess groups(r=0.596,0.642). Conclusion : The change of pain was strongly associated with that of local body temperature in tonsillar disease. DITI is a useful method for objective grading of pain and can be used for the study of postoperatve pain and effectiveness of pain control.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.423-426
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• 2006

Objective : There is still debate about the diagnostic efficacy of digital infrared thermographic imaging[DITI], nevertheless, it has been used for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome[CTS]. We performed comparative study between patient and control groups to investigate the diagnostic value of DITI in CTS. Methods : We studied 27 patients with electrodiagnostically-proven CTS and 18 symptom-free volunteers as a control. We measured thermal difference on DITI in the corresponding regions of the hands and forearms. We statistically analyzed the thermal data using a t-test. Results : The average thermal difference in the diagnosed patient group ranged from $0.0303^{\circ}C$ to $0.2856^{\circ}C$, while that in control group ranged from $0.0611^{\circ}C$ to $0.2878^{\circ}C$. In the CTS patient group, thermal difference between each 2nd finger was higher than that of other regions. However, there was no statistical significance between patient and control groups. Conclusion : We found that the diagnostic value of DITI in CTS was not sufficient. There should be a reconsideration of the usefulness of DITI in CTS.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.288-293
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• 2006

Background : Monoplegia is the paralysis of a limb. It is commonly caused by an injury to the cerebral cortex, and rarely caused by injury to the internal capsule, brain stem, or spinal cord. Most problems with cerebral cortex is derived from the occlusion of a brain cortex blood vessel due to thrombus or embolus. Objectives : This study is to see if there is a significance in thermal differences of acupoints in diagnosis and treatment of monoplegia on an upper extremity to test the validity of acupuncture and herbal treatment for it. Methods : By using Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(DITI), thermal differences$({\Delta}T)$ of acupoints on the upper extremity in a patient with monoplegia on the right upper extremity were measured after an attack of the disease. By giving Mangeum-tang(萬金湯) and treating the patient with acupuncture. the temperature changes of the upper extremity were examined through DITI and improvement was observed. Results : Compared with the left arm which suffered no such injury, the right recovered about 80% of sensation, and the grade of monoplegia improved from Grade O to Grade V. Also, the temperatures of right palmar-dorsal hand and the region of Weiguan(外關, Waiguan, TE5) were $1^{\circ}C$ and $1.45^{\circ}C$ higher than the same left region on admission day, but the thermal differences$({\Delta}T)$ narrowed to $0.5^{\circ}C$ by the last day. Conclusions : Results suggest that DITI screening is a reliable method of prognosis and that the time required for treatment can be estimated through this method in cases of monoplegia to an upper extremity. Also, progress in treatment is reflected in thermal differences of acupoints of the monoplegic upper extremity in accordance with the theory of meridian. This supports a role for acupuncture and herbal treatment for monoplegia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.279-285
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• 1998

Exessive sweating of the palms and soles, is a psychologically and occupationally distressing and sometimes disabling condition. Hyperhidrosis is one of the common abnormalities in autonomic nervous system. There were no specific treatment on hyperhidrosis, so invasive thoracic sympathectomy via axillary thoracotomy or cervical approach had been used. Video-assisted thoracic surgery(VATS) is now mostly performed for treating of the palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis. From March 1996 to March 1997, 15 patients with bilateral palmar hyperhidrosis had been treated by the bilateral thoracic sympathectomy(T2, T3, T4) with thoracoscopic resection. The patient were evaluated preoperative and postoperative Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI) at Kyung-Hee University Hospital. There were no case of the thoracotomy conversion. There were 3 complications ; pulmonary edema in 1 case, Horner's syndrome in 1 case, and gustatory hyperhidrosis in 1 case. More than half of the patients also had compensatory sweating in the lower abdomen, the buttocks, the back and the thighs. In conclusion, most of the patients were satisfied with the postoperative results of the thoracoscopic sympathectomy, including no more palmar and axillary sweating, less pain, better cosmetic appearances, decreased sweating of the face and soles. In addition, intraoperative temperature monitoring of the hands could estimate the successful thoracoscopic sympathectomy and the preoperative and postoperative Digital infrared thermographic imaging(DITI) could especially be the technique for the objective manifestation of the successful results of the thoracoscopic sympathectomy.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to check diagnostic performance of infrared thermography for patients with vascular claudication. Methods : 3 patients with vascular claudication were diagnosed with Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging(DITI) and compared the relative temperature difference between the right and left. Results : Symptomatic legs showed significant low body temperature and at the very site patients complained of pain on, the body temperature differed distinctly between the right and left. Conclusions : Infrared thermographic diagnosis with clinical symptoms may be helpful in diagnosing suspected vascular claudication.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2005

Objectives; Hapkok(L14) and Taechung(Liv3) are acupuncture points located on both sides of each foot and hand of the human body. These two points are called sakwan points. Matching these acupuncture points have a significant reason in points of not only regulating the circulation of Yin-Yang as a source point of each meridian, but also playing a basic role of twelve meridian by controling circulation of ki and blood in the whole body. There are already related documents and studies on stimulating sakwan points. Since those papers mostly studied on either hapkok or taechung, we came to have a doubt of stimulating the two point at the same time when an inbalance of Yin-Yang and ki-blood appears. Accordingly, we got to investigate how thermogram of body changes after applying an acupuncture on sakwan points. Our study is as follows ; Methods; Our study was performed on 30 normal cases(M:F=17:13) with no past history to observe the effects of the acupuncture. We measured temperature of abdomen and the back of both hands by D.I.T.I(Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging) before and after acupuncture on sakwan points. Results and Conclusion; The thermographic change on abdomen was $0.51{\pm}0.71^{\circ}C$. Temperature of abdomen after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture with high validity(p <0.01). And the thermographic changes on the back of both hands were right hand $0.54{\pm}1.17^{\circ}C$, left hand $0.56{\pm}1.28^{\circ}C$. Temperature on the back of both hands after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture, but the difference between them had little validity(p <0.01) In addition, we found that it doesn't necessarily follow that the thermographic changes on abdomen and back of both hands after acupuncture on sakwan points happen concurrently.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2003

Objective: Hapkok(L14) and Taechung(Liv3) are acupuncture points located on both sides of each foot and hand of the human body. These two points are called sakwan points. Matching these acupuncture points have a significant reason in pints of not only regulating the circulation of Yin-Yang as a source point of each meridian, but also playing a basic role of twelve meridian by controlling circulation of ki and blood in the whole body. There are already related documents and studies on stimulating sakwan points. Since those papers mostly studied on either hapkook or taechung, we came to have a doubt of stimulation the two point at the same time when an unbalance of Yin-Yang and ki-blood appears. Accordingly, we got to investigate how thermogram of body changes after applying an acupuncture on sakwan points. Our study is as follows ; Method : Our study was performed on 30 normal cases(M:F=17:13) with no past history to observe the effects of the acupuncture. We measured temperature of abdomen and the back of both hands by D.I.T.I(Digital infrared Thermographic Imaging) before and after acupuncture on sakwan points. Results and Conclusions: The thermographic change on abdomen was $0.51{\pm}0.71^{\circ}C$. Temperature of abdomen after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture with high validity(p<0.01). And the thermographic changes on the back of both hands were right hand $0.54{\pm}1.17^{\circ}C$, left hand $0.56{\pm}1.28^{\circ}C$. Temperature on the back of both hands after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture, but the difference between them had little validity(p<0.01). In addition, we found that it doesn't necessarily follow that the thermographic changes on abdomen and back of both hands after acupuncture on sakwan points happen concurrently.

• Journal of Korean Medical Ki-Gong Academy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.44-60
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Su-Gi therapy for Bell's palsy by using DITI. Methods : We investigated 16 patients with Bell's palsy who had visited in the H Korean medicine hospital in Gyeonggi Province from December 27th, 2010 to April 8th, 2015. The Su-Gi therapy was done by 1 times daily. We evaluated the change of them by using Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging and Yanagihara's unweighted grading system. Results : There aren't meaningful differences in values for the meridian points in pretest and posttest which were observed by DITI of abnormal side and normal side. There are meaningful differences in values, for abnormal side and normal side of the meridian points in pretest and posttest of DITI. It was of significance that pretest Y and average ΔT of each the meridian points in the type of hyperthermia but not in the type of hypothermia. In the Correlation analysis of values of pretest and posttest, chaotic aspects of body heat distribution in the pretest change as a relatively consistent aspects in the posttest. It wasn't of significance that Correlation Analysis of Ups and downs in temperature of TE17 and Recovery speed observed by ΔY. In simple regression analysis of posttest's Y-system values against absolute ΔT by subtracting ΔTE17 from ΔST6, we didn't predict in the pretest, but could predict significantly in the posttest(Regression coefficient : -2.11) In the regression analysis result of the meridian points' ||pretest ΔT|-|posttest ΔT||, 陽白(GB14) and 頰車(ST6) are of significance (Total R-Square=0.447). But we couldn't obtain final regression analysis model. Conclusions: These results suggest that Su-Gi therapy may be effective for Bell's palsy.