[Infrared tympanic thermography. A comparison of body temperature measured rectally and from the tympanic membrane].

Infrared tympanic thermography is a new method of measuring body temperature. We compared body temperature measured in the rectum and in the ear in 25 patients. The results reveal a difference of average +/- 0.3 degree C. We also measured the time used to perform the above procedures. We found that the preparation and completion procedures took on average two minutes and 50 seconds when the body temperature was measured in the rectum. Taking the temperature in the ear took on average 42 seconds. We found that this new method was an accurate and quick method to measure body temperature.