The predictive value of infrared thermal imaging (IRT) for peripheral artery disease: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Medical infrared thermal imaging (IRT) has been applied to research blood flow, breast cancer detection, and human body muscle performance. The benefits of IRT include the fact that it is noninvasive, quick, dependable, non-contact, capable of creating several recordings in a short period of time, and secure for both patients and medical professionals. We aimed to determine the predictive value of IRT for identifying and evaluating any interventional procedure in patients affected by peripheral artery disease (PAD) of any severity. METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed on the topic of IRT and PAD until January 20,2023. We excluded gray literature as it is lacking credibility for not undergoing a peer-reviewed process. The search strategy includes the medical topic headings for “infrared thermal imaging” and “peripheral vascular disorders.” The primary outcome of this systematic review was the variation in tissue perfusion in PAD patients. Each technique’s technical characteristics and therapeutic use within PAD must be described in each included study. RESULTS: This systematic review included 2 case reports and 3 observational studies. By comparing the temperatures of PAD patients hands, legs, and feet, IRT might prove to be an unduly valuable tool for treating vascular illnesses, especially in light of the knowledge gained from the temperature distribution maps. CONCLUSION: This noninvasive method demonstrated encouraging results in the detection of various areas of foot perfusion and the screening of PAD, and it gave good findings in gauging the effects of any type of intervention.