IR-Thermometry-Based Thermal Balance Model for Blood Flow Rate Express-Analysis

Infrared (IR) thermometry is a modern high-resolution method of remote temperature distribution monitoring on any open surface. The non-invasive method of IR thermometry is successfully used to solve several biomedical problems, since the temperature distribution on the human body contains physiological state information of diagnostic importance. We show that this information is not only diagnostically valuable but can also serve as a predictor of future complications. In the field of intraoperative observations IR thermometry allows one to assess circulatory disorders and take preventive measures timely. Obviously, this direction requires the development of express thermal analysis methods that can be implemented in real time by considering only basic significant patterns excluding necessity of time-consuming numerical modeling. In this paper, using the example of an occlusion test, as well as cooling and heating tests on a finger of healthy subjects, a simple model of thermal balance is considered, which allows one to quantitatively estimate the relative blood flow rate.