Correlation between Wound Temperature Obtained with an Infrared Camera and Clinical Wound Bed Score in Venous Leg Ulcers

Year: 2015

Authors: Dini V., Salvo P., Janowska A., Di Francesco F., Barbini A., Romanelli M.

Autors Affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Wound Healing Research Unit, Via Roma 67, Pisa, 56124, Italy;
Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Italy;
National Research Council, C.N.R., Italy

Abstract: Introduction. The measurement of skin and wound bed temperature in chronic wounds may be a useful way to optimize the assessment and diagnosis of chronic wound infection. The aim of this clinical research trial was to correlate the wound bed score, validated by Falanga in 2006, to wound bed and perilesional skin temperature with an easy-to-use, handheld, noninvasive thermometer. Materials and Methods. In this study, the authors recruited 18 patients affected by venous insufficiency and lower leg ulcers. A total of 24 chronic wound bed and perilesional skin ulcers were assessed using an infrared camera (FLIR T620 Thermal Imager, FLIR Systems Boston, MA). At the same visit, an operator blinded to the thermal image results made a wound bed score to make a clinical evaluation of the lesion. Results. The wound bed temperature range after dressing removal was between 31 degrees C and 35 degrees C, and the perilesional skin temperature range was between 31 degrees C and 34 degrees C. The wound bed score range was between 5-14 (14 patients > 10; 11 patients <= 10). The study data showed an increasing relationship between the wound bed score and the wound bed temperature according to several studies that have demonstrated 33 degrees C is the critical temperature level required for normal cellular activity. The correlation between the wound bed score and the perilesional skin temperature is weaker compared to other measurements. Conclusion. The results obtained in this preliminary research suggest that this correlation is worth being further investigated with a larger dataset. Journal/Review: WOUNDS-A COMPENDIUM OF CLINICAL RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

Volume: 27 (10)      Pages from: 274  to: 278

More Information: This study was supported by the EU-funded FP7 ICT-317894 SWAN-iCare project.
KeyWords: Venous ulcers; Wound temperature; Wound infection


Citations: 79
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