Early detection of inflammation and infection using infrared thermography
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting infection of an animal, comprising the steps of:
- (a) scanning a selected anatomical structure selected from a mammary gland, an eye, a nose or an ear of the animal with an infrared camera to obtain an infrared thermographic image of the selected anatomical structure of the animal;
(b) processing the image to provide a measure of temperature information selected from a measure of central tendency, a measure of dispersion, or total temperature for only a portion of the image representing the selected anatomical structure;
(c) comparing the measure of the temperature information to a predetermined value, the predetermined value being a measure of central tendency, a measure of dispersion, or total temperature obtained from only a portion of one or more infrared thermographic images representing the same selected anatomical structure of either the same animal pre-infection or the same selected anatomical structure of a population of uninfected animals of the same species; and
(d) detecting subclinical, early or clinical infection of the animal if the measure of the temperature information is greater than the predetermined value by at least a predetermined amount.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method for the detection of inflammation in animals using infrared thermography. The invention also provides a method for the detection of diseases or disorders that induce inflammation using infrared thermography. The present invention further provides a method for the detection of infections in animals using infrared thermography.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for detecting infection of an animal, comprising the steps of:
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(a) scanning a selected anatomical structure selected from a mammary gland, an eye, a nose or an ear of the animal with an infrared camera to obtain an infrared thermographic image of the selected anatomical structure of the animal; (b) processing the image to provide a measure of temperature information selected from a measure of central tendency, a measure of dispersion, or total temperature for only a portion of the image representing the selected anatomical structure; (c) comparing the measure of the temperature information to a predetermined value, the predetermined value being a measure of central tendency, a measure of dispersion, or total temperature obtained from only a portion of one or more infrared thermographic images representing the same selected anatomical structure of either the same animal pre-infection or the same selected anatomical structure of a population of uninfected animals of the same species; and (d) detecting subclinical, early or clinical infection of the animal if the measure of the temperature information is greater than the predetermined value by at least a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for the detection of inflammation of a selected anatomical structure of an animal, comprising:
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(a) scanning the selected anatomical structure of the animal with an infrared camera to obtain an infrared thermographic image of the selected anatomical structure of the animal; (b) processing the image to provide a mean temperature for only a portion of the infrared thermographic image representing the selected anatomical structure; (c) comparing the mean temperature from step (b) to a mean temperature of only the same selected anatomical structure of either the same animal or a population of animals of the same species obtained from only a portion of one or more infrared thermographic images representing the same selected anatomical structure taken when there was no inflammation of the same selected anatomical structure; and (d) either detecting early or subclinical inflammation of the anatomical structure of the animal if there is a change in the mean temperature of less than 1°
C., or detecting late stage development of inflammation of the anatomical structure of the animal if there is a change in the mean temperature of greater than 1°
C.
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40. A method for detecting infection of an animal, comprising the steps of:
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(a) scanning a selected anatomical structure selected from a tissue, a joint, a lateral side or a dorsal side of the animal with an infrared camera to obtain an infrared thermographic image of the selected anatomical structure of the animal; (b) processing the image to provide a measure of temperature information selected from a measure of central tendency, a measure of dispersion, or total temperature for only a portion of the image representing the selected anatomical structure; (c) comparing the measure of the temperature information to a predetermined value, the predetermined value being a measure of central tendency, a measure of dispersion, or total temperature obtained from only a portion of one or more infrared thermographic images representing the same selected anatomical structure of either the same animal pre-infection or the same selected anatomical structure of a population of uninfected animals of the same species; and (d) detecting subclinical, early or clinical infection of the animal if the measure of the temperature information is greater than the predetermined value by at least a predetermined amount.
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Specification