Automatic thermal image analysis for medical diagnosis

Thermographic images can be used to generate diagnostic images with classification of disease or diseases and indication of degree of severity. Statistical pattern recognition techniques are used to analyse the results of a temperature stress test. The hand is immersed in a cold water bath at 20°C for 1 minute. In order to record the bodies response to the temperature stress thermograms are taken at regular intervals for 2 minutes for 15 to 20 minutes. The series of thermograms for each patient or control are standardized and aligned using a dynamic stretching technique, so as to obtain a series of images that can be used in a fully automated diagnostic aid. The series of images are presented in a `dual representation´ for processing. The purpose of this aid is the classification of the response to the cold stress into different classes: Raynaud type conditions, inflammatory conditions (rheumatic and arthritic) or normal