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Ryu, Paik, Hwang, and Yang: Diagnostic Significance and Usefulness in Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) of Patients with Nonspecific Orbital Inflammation
Original Article
Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2012; 53(12): 1732-1736.

Published online: 17 December 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2012.53.12.1732

Diagnostic Significance and Usefulness in Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) of Patients with Nonspecific Orbital Inflammation

Jeong Wan Ryu, MD1, Ji Sun Paik, MD2, Ho Sik Hwang, MD2, Suk Woo Yang, MD, PhD2

1Kim Ki-Soo Eye Clinic, Jeju, Korea.

2Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Address reprint requests to Suk Woo Yang, MD, PhD. Department of Ophthalmology, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, #222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701, Korea. Tel: 82-2-2258-6200, Fax: 82-2-599-7405, yswoph@catholic.ac.kr

Received 15 February 2012       Accepted 6 November 2012

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Ophthalmological Society

Abstract

Purpose

The present study assessed the diagnostic significance of digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI) in determining the inflammatory state of patients with nonspecific orbital inflammation.

Methods

The present study included 11 patients diagnosed with nonspecific orbital inflammation between December 2009 and March 2011 and who were followed-up for more than 6 months. All patients were all diagnosed based on computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance image (MRI) and tissue biopsy. The grade of eyelid swelling was classified as 5 and severe compared with the temperature of location. The temperature of the upper eyelid, caruncle, medial conjunctiva, lateral conjunctiva, lower eyelid, cornea and lateral orbit were measured with DITI.

Results

When comparing the normal eye with the diseased eye in patients with nonspecific orbital inflammation, the temperature of the upper eyelid and cornea were statistically significant (p = 0.003, p = 0.038, respectively, Mann-Whitney test). The correlation between the grade of eyelid swelling and the temperature of location was most highly related in the temperature of the upper eyelid (Spearman's correlation coefficient, r = 0.55, p = 0.008) and cornea (Spearman's correlation coefficient, r = 0.45, p = 0.037).

Conclusions

DITI may aid in evaluating the inflammatory state of nonspecific orbital inflammation. In particular, the temperature of the upper eyelid and cornea can be very useful indicator. Future studies, including larger study population are necessary in order to confirm DITI as a diagnostic tool which can assess the results of medical treatment by comparing temperature before and after treatment.

Keywords: Digital infrared thermal imaging, Nonspecific orbital inflammation

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
Examples of eyelid swelling by severity grade. (A) normal eye (Grade 1), (B) mild swelling (Grade 2): apical lesion, (C) moderate swelling (Grade 3): preseptal lesion, (D) severe swelling (Grade 4): lacrimal gland lesion, (E) very severe swelling (Grade 5): diffuse lesion (lowerlid margin involved nearly pupil center due to upperlid swelling).
jkos-53-1732-g001
Figure 2
The exact point of right lateral orbit which were measured by DITI. 1-1: caruncle, 2-1: cornea, 3-1: lower eyelid, 4-1: upper eyelid, 5-1: lateral conjunctiva, 6-1: medial conjunctiva, 7-1: lateral orbit (There is no photographic image with all seven points demarcated, so 2-1, 6-1 and 7-1 were marked with animation to explain exact point).
jkos-53-1732-g002
Table 1
Comparison of temperature between eyes with idiopathic orbital infalmmation and normal eye
jkos-53-1732-i001

Values are presented as mean ± SD.

p < 0.05 means statistically significant.

*Mann-Whitney test (disease vs. control); †Spearman's correlation coefficient: the relation between the severity of eyelid swelling and local temperature of seven different sites.

Table 2
The summary of systemic steroid treatment, radiotherapy and NSAIDs
jkos-53-1732-i002

IV = intravenous injection; PO = Per Os (by mouth).

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