Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Future University in Egypt, Cairo, Egypt.
Department of Oral Technology, School of Dentistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
BMC Oral Health. 2021 May 13;21(1):260. doi: 10.1186/s12903-021-01618-9.
Thermography is a contemporary imaging modality based on acquiring and analyzing thermal data using non-contact devices. The aim of the present study was to assess the validity of thermography, compared with that of the reference-standard, for the diagnosis of periapical inflammatory lesions and to evaluate the temperature ranges for acute pulpitis with apical periodontitis (AAP), acute periapical abscess (AA) and chronic periapical abscess (CA).
AAP, AA and CA were diagnosed based on clinical and radiographic criteria. Thermographic data were acquired using the FLIR E-5 Infrared Camera. Extraoral thermal images were taken from the front and right and left sides of patients whose mouths were closed, and one intraoral thermal image was taken from the palatal perspective. Agreement in the diagnoses based on the combination of clinical and radiographic assessments and the thermographic evaluation was calculated. The temperature ranges of the three diagnostic subgroups were also measured.
A total of 80 patients were enrolled in this study. The mean intraoral thermal image temperature for AA was 37.26 ± 0.36, that for CA was 35.03 ± 0.63 and that for AAP was 36.07 ± 0.45. The differences between the mean intraoral thermal temperatures of the three diagnostic groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The result of the Kappa coefficient of agreement between the combination of clinical and radiographic assessments and the thermographic evaluation was significant (P < 0.001).
Thermography is an effective, quantitative and nonionizing approach that can be used for the diagnosis of periapical inflammatory lesions. The results of the present study indicated that the highest thermal image temperatures were recorded for AA. Thermography might be able to detect inflammatory reactions during the preclinical stage, leading to early diagnosis.
热成像技术是一种基于使用非接触式设备获取和分析热数据的现代成像方式。本研究的目的是评估热成像相对于参考标准在诊断根尖炎性病变方面的有效性，并评估伴有根尖周炎的急性牙髓炎（AAP）、急性根尖脓肿（AA）和慢性根尖脓肿（CA）的温度范围。
根据临床和影像学标准诊断 AAP、AA 和 CA。使用 FLIR E-5 红外相机获取热成像数据。对闭口患者的正面、右侧和左侧进行外热图像采集，对腭侧进行内热图像采集。根据临床和影像学评估以及热成像评估的组合计算诊断的一致性。还测量了三个诊断亚组的温度范围。
共有 80 名患者参加了这项研究。AA 的平均口腔内热图像温度为 37.26±0.36°C，CA 的平均温度为 35.03±0.63°C，AAP 的平均温度为 36.07±0.45°C。三个诊断组的平均口腔内热温度之间存在统计学差异（P<0.001）。临床和影像学评估与热成像评估相结合的一致性 Kappa 系数结果具有统计学意义（P<0.001）。
热成像技术是一种有效、定量和非电离的方法，可用于诊断根尖炎性病变。本研究的结果表明，AA 记录的热图像温度最高。热成像可能能够检测到临床前阶段的炎症反应，从而实现早期诊断。
