Thermal imaging as a method to indirectly assess peripheral vascular integrity and tissue viability in veterinary medicine: animal models and clinical applications

Abstract

Infrared thermography (IRT) is a technique that indirectly assesses peripheral bloodcirculation and its resulting amount of radiated heat. Due to these properties, thermal imaging iscurrently applied in human medicine to noninvasively evaluate peripheral vascular disorders suchas thrombosis, thromboembolisms, and other ischemic processes. Moreover, tissular damage (e.g.,burn injuries) also causes microvasculature compromise. Therefore, thermography can be applied todetermine the degree of damage according to the viability of tissues and blood vessels, and it canalso be used as a technique to monitor skin transplant procedures such as grafting and free flaps. Thepresent review aims to summarize and analyze the application of IRT in veterinary medicine as amethod to indirectly assess peripheral vascular integrity and its relation to the amount of radiatedheat and as a diagnostic technique for tissue viability, degree of damage, and wound care.