About Carotid Thermology ©

Stroke is the most common neurologic disease and the third most common cause of death in the developed world.  The root cause of most strokes is atherosclerosis.  Atherosclerosis is a slow and progressive process that narrows the lumen of arteries with the build-up of plaque and scar and predicates the acute clotting crisis.  The carotid arteries supply approximately 85% of the blood to the brain and significant levels of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries present the highest single risk factor for stroke.  Clinical symptoms of carotid insufficiency can be vague and there is a need for an inexpensive and non-invasive objective means to screen the at-risk population.

Doppler ultrasound can evaluate the luminal thickness and restrictions in the common carotid arteries up to and including the important bifurcation but not the internal carotid artery as it goes deep into the head.  The superficial distribution of important branches of the internal carotid arteries in the face are easily evaluated with thermal imaging as a means to detect diminished blood flow in the common and internal carotid arteries and risk for stroke.  Thermal imaging can detect hemodynamically significant stenosis of the carotid arteries with a very high sensitivity as compared to arteriography.  Additionally, thermal imaging can also reveal indications of arterial compensation (natural bypasses) in the carotid artery networks that can be important to decisions in treatment.  Thermal imaging is completely harmless, non-invasive, relatively inexpensive and quantitative.

©Copyright 2017-2020.  This document and image color pallet are copyrighted and may not be duplicated or replicated in any manner.  All Rights Strictly Reserved.  

Therma-Scan Reference Laboratory, LLC. 6239 E Brown Rd, Mesa, AZ 85205 602.603.0749 

 Bibliography

1. Wood EH. Thermography in the diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease: preliminary report. Rad 1964;83.3:270
2. AustinJH, Sajid MH. Direct thermometry in ophthalmic-internal carotid blood flow. Arch Neurol 1966;15:376-8
3. Gross M, Sajid MH. Thermography in vascular disorders affecting the brain. J Neurol Neurosurg Physchiat 1969;32:484-9
4. CapistrantTD, Gumnit RJ. Thermography following a carotid transient ischemic episode. JAMA 1970;211.4:656-7
5. Capistrant TD, Gumnit RJ. Thermography and extracranial cerebrovascular disease:      preliminary report of a new provocative technique. Arch Neurol 1970;22.6:499-503
6. Schuite BPM, Bomhof MAM, Aarts NJM. Facial thermography in the diagnosis of      cerebrovascular disease and in evaluation of carotid endarterectomy. Clin Neuro Neurosurg  1975;78.2:118-30
7. Henderson HO, Hackett MEJ. The value of thermography in peripheral vascular disease.  Ang 1978;29.1;143
8. Kudrow L. Thermographic and Doppler flow asymmetry in cluster headache. Headache 1979:19.4:204-8
9. Barnes RW. Noninvasive evaluation of the carotid bruit. Ann Rev Med 1980;31:201-18
10. Ackerman RH. A perspective on noninvasive diagnosis of carotid disease. Neurol 1979;29:615
11. Abernathy M, Brandt MM, Robinson C. Noninvasive testing of the carotid system. Am Fam Physician 1984;29.3:151-71
12. Soria E, Paroski MW. Thermography as a predictor of the more involved side in bilateral carotid disease: case history. Ang 1987:38.2
13. Rothwell PM. Carotid artery disease and the risk of ischaemic stroke and coronary vascular events. Cerebrovasc Dis 2000; 10.5:21-33
14. Ai-Hsien L, Ching-Sung W, Shu-Hsun C, et al. Correlation of facial infrared thermography and carotid stenosis. Medical Devices and Biosensors, 2007 4th IEEE/EMBS Symposium.
15. Tan Jen-Hong, Ng EYK. Infrared thermography on ocular surface temperature: a      review. Infrared Physics & Technology 2009;52.4:97-108
16. Goodarzi FV, Zadeh TH. Diagnosis of the risk for carotid artery stenos based on thermal model in infrared images. Advances in Bioscience and Clinical Medicine 2017, Conference Abstract