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- Biomedical musculoskeletal applications of infrared thermal imaging on arm and forearm: A systematic reviewPublication . Ricardo Vardasca, PhD, ASIS, FRPSInfrared thermal imaging (IRT) has been a target of research for biomedical musculoskeletal applications, due to the possible association of the physiological data that it provides, through skin temperature measurement, with pathological states. The aim of this systematic review is to acquaint the outcomes of the biomedical application of IRT in arm and forearm evaluation and its future perspectives of research. During the literature review, 926 articles were identified using the search engines PubMed and Scopus, and 10 articles were retrieved from other sources. After screening the abstracts and applying the eligibility criteria on those which were fully accessible, 33 articles were included in the review. It can be observed that IRT has the potential to provide physiological information on the arm and forearm, showing potential to serve as an aid in various pathologies and health situations. Future studies and challenges are identified and proposed, facilitating the improvement and acceptance of the application of IRT in the assessment of arm and forearm’ health status.
- Are the IR cameras FLIR ONE suitable for clinical applications?Publication . Ricardo Vardasca, PhD, ASIS, FRPSBACKGROUND: Infrared Thermography (IRT) has been used in clinical environments for at least six decades. In 2014 affordable and attractive low-cost infrared cameras were introduced into the market that facilitated the ability of being at- tached to mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. Despite these cameras do not satisfy the minimum specifica- tions recommended for clinical use they have already been used in clinical applications. It is therefore important to verify the performance of these devices. In this paper the start-up stability and the absolute temperature offset, in particular within the temperature range of the human body, are evaluated using the android and iOS OEM connection versions of the FLIR ONE IR 2nd generation and compared from the end user point of view. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four FLIR ONE IR 2nd generation cameras were used, two developed to be attached to android systems and the other two to apple iOS systems. A start-up drift test at 30 ºC and a temperature sweep from 20 ºC to 40 ºC in steps of 1 ºC, representing the human body temperature range, were carried out. For the temperature perfor- mance assessments, a blackbody Isotech Hyperion R Model 982 was used as temperature reference (uncertainty of ±0.1°C). It was first set at 30ºC temperature reference for the start-up drift test, the cameras along with the attached de- vices were switched on and measurements were taken at five-minute intervals for one hour at a distance of 30 cm from the blackbody target. For the temperature sweep, the blackbody reference was set to 20ºC. Images were then taken with the IRT imaging devices and readings were taken while the blackbody setpoint was increased in steps of 1ºC up to 40ºC, wait- ing 15 minutes in between each step for blackbody temperature stability. RESULTS: The FLIR One 2nd generation thermal cameras overestimate the temperature reading during the start-up off set drift test and take around 15 to 20 minutes to reach measurement stability with an average difference from the blackbody indicated temperature of 0.9 ºC. In the human body temperature offset drift test there is a higher difference from the calibration source at temperatures below 24 ºC, where the temperature readouts are more than 2.0 °C above the real temperatures set at the blackbody. There is a high interclass correlation between the thermal cameras' readings and the calibration source set temperatures and also between the measurements of the two OEM versions of the thermal cam eras studied. The span of limits of agreement (LOA) of the measurements of all FLIR ONE 2nd generation cameras with the blackbody temperature was 2.23 ºC. CONCLUSIONS: Despite these systems being attractive in price and manufacturer provided features, their operational performance does not comply with the required standards for clinical use. The thermal information provided by these im aging systems should only be taken into account for monitoring purposes, as some previous research demonstrated, and not as an input for diagnostic judgments, if they require absolute temperature values to be correct. It is important to note that the cameras provider does not advertise them as medical devices.
- The influence of angles and distance on assessing inner-canthi of the eye skin temperaturePublication . Ricardo Vardasca, PhD, ASIS, FRPS
- Pre-exercise skin temperature evolution is not related with 100 m front crawl performancePublication . Ricardo Vardasca, PhD, ASIS, FRPSDuring the transition between warm-up and competition there is a change in core, muscle and (eventually) skin temperature that may affect swimming performance. We have aimed to assess skin temperature evolution during transition phases of different durations before a typical front crawl effort and to investigate its relationship with performance. Following a standardized warm-up, nine adolescent male swimmers performed three maximal randomized 100 m maximum front crawl trials after 10, 20 and 45 min transition phases. Skin temperature, performance (time, stroke frequency, length and index, and propelling efficiency), heart rate, lactate and perceived effort were assessed. Data showed a skin temperature log increase over time (R2 > 0.96, p < 0.01) without differences from the 15 min with the following instants. Performance and psychophysiological variables were similar between transition phases. However, skin temperature at the end of the transition periods, i.e., just before the 100 m trials, was lower in the 10 min than the 20 and 45 min transitions (32.0 ± 0.6 vs 33.0 ± 0.4 and 33.5 ± 0.5 ◦C, respectively). The main finding was that no relevant relationships were observed between pre-test skin temperature and performance times (|r| < 0.6, p > 0.05) for the studied transition phases. We have concluded that transitions longer than 10 min will not present thermal changes and that, within the physiologic limits studied, pre-exercise skin temperature does not influence swimming performance.
- The Functional Interdependence of Wind Instrumentalists’ Embouchure and Their Craniofacial FeaturesPublication . Ricardo Vardasca, PhD, ASIS, FRPSThe criteria of performing a correct embouchure can differ according to particular craniofacial features. Different teaching techniques can also lead to specific patterns of a musician embouchure, where playing in a relaxed position is one of the major indications. In order to understand if there is a “perfect embouchure”, several techniques were used on the analysis of the embouchure of three different wind instrumentalists. Force sensing resistors were applied to the mouthpiece of a clarinet, infrared thermography was performed to a brass player, while a bassoon player underwent two lateral cephalograms. The examinations techniques were chosen to take advantage of the possible information that could be taken from each musician, on addition to the evidence of the intra-oral exam. The force analysis showed that the clarinetist had an asymmetrical force distribution among the two central incisors. The infrared thermography showed that the tuba player had thermal asymmetry at the region correspondent to the masseters muscles possibly related to the teeth position. The lateral cephalograms showed a 10° posterior rotation of the mandible during the embouchure of the bassoon player. Therefore, understanding the anatomical limitations of the orofacial region, which may lead to an asymmetrical embouchure, is fundamental to analyze and treat a wind instrumentalist within a dental appointment.