• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.15-27
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• 2003

Therapeutic ultrasound is commonly applied for deep heating in physical therapy setting. However, it is difficult to determine the exact application dosage and to confirm the immediate heating effect. Microwave Radio-Thermometer (MRT) can measure the temperature by the electromagnetic energy in the microwave region of the object that emits above absolute zero temperature. MRT was used for early diagnosis of breast cancer since it was not harmful, non-invasive, and non-ionizing to the human body. The purposes of this study were to investigate how accurately 1.1 GHz RTM (RES Ltd. Russia) measures the change of average temperature in the tissue, and to determine the depth of temperature change measurement. Therapeutic ultrasound was applied (continuous wave for 5 minutes, 1 MHz, intensity of 1.5 $W/cm^2$ [in vitro] and 1.0 $W/cm^2$ [in vivo]) in four different conditions: (1) 30 cases of in vitro specimen of pork, (2) 30 cases of in vitro specimen of pork ankle joint, (3) 10 cases of in vivo canine thigh, and (4) 30 cases of in vivo human body. Intraclass Correlation Coeffients (ICC[3,1]) between average needle probe thermometer below surface and MRT temperature was revealed as followed: (1) Before ultrasound application ICCs ranges above .8 in specimen of pork (15 mm underneath the skin) and above .82 in specimen of pork ankle joint (10~30 mm underneath the skin). (2) After ultrasound application ICCs ranges above .7 in both specimens of pork and pork ankle joint. (3) Before ultrasound application ICCs ranges above .8 in canine thigh (20 mm underneath the skin). (4) After ultrasound application ICCs ranges above .82 in canine thigh. The temperature of the human body increased significantly with the mean of $15^{\circ}C$ in muscle tissue and with the mean of $3.5^{\circ}C$ in joint (p<.00). It was revealed that the average depth of temperature measurement of the tissue by MRT was in between 10 and 35 mm, and determined that the proper temperature measurement band was $36.5{\sim}37.0^{\circ}C$.