Heat transfer model for deep tissue injury: a step towards an early thermographic diagnostic capability
Abstract
Background
Deep tissue injury (DTI) is a class of serious lesions which develop
in the deep tissue layers as a result of sustained tissue loading or
pressure-induced ischemic injury. DTI lesions often do not become visible on
the skin surface until the injury reaches an advanced stage, making their early
detection a challenging task.
Theory
Early diagnosis leading to early treatment mitigates the progression
of the lesion and remains one of the priorities in clinical care. The aim of
the study is to relate changes in tissue temperature with key physiological
changes occurring at the tissue level to develop criteria for the detection of
incipient DTIs.
Method
Skin surface temperature distributions of the damaged tissue were
analyzed using a multilayer tissue model. Thermal response of the skin surface
to a cooling stress, was computed for deep tissue inflammation and deep tissue
ischemia, and then compared with computed skin temperature of healthy tissue.
Results
For a deep lesion situated in muscle and fat layers, measurable skin
temperature differences were observed within the first five minutes of thermal
recovery period including temperature increases between 0.25°C to 0.9°C during
inflammation and temperature decreases between −0.2°C to −0.5°C during
ischemia.
Conclusions
The computational thermal models can explain previously published
thermographic findings related to DTIs and pressure ulcers. It is concluded
that infrared thermography can be used as an objective, non-invasive and
quantitative means of early DTI diagnosis.
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