https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0375-1454
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ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to define aspects of a protocol for a diabetic population by obtaining and evaluating thermographic images following thermal stress (cooling of the sole of the foot with cold gel) and mechanical stress (walking 100 m). A sample made up of 15 patients diagnosed as diabetic individuals and 7 healthy subjects as controls were analysed for this protocol. Following thermal stress, the recovery time of 90% of the basal foot temperature was (64 ± 43) s for control cases and (99 ± 98) s for diabetic cases (p < 0.02). With mechanical stress, a mean thermal variation of (−1.3 ± 1.1)◦C for control cases was obtained as against (−2.0 ± 1.1)◦C for diabetic cases (p < 0.001). The results obtained provide evidence that thermographic imaging can provide relevant information on vascularisation in patients and, therefore, can be a useful tool in the early diagnosis of diabetic foot disease.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
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Notes on contributors
Lucía Carbonell
Lucia Carbonell is a collaborating professor in the Department of Nursing and Podology, and a podiatrist in the Podiatry Clinic at the University of Valencia. Her main research interest is about the application of infrared thermography on the diabetic foot assessment.
Jose Ignacio Priego Quesada
JI Priego-Quesada is Associate Professor at the Physical Education and Sports Department of the University of Valencia and researcher of the Group in Sport Biomechanics (GIBD). He holds a PhD in Physiology. His research interests is focused on non-lesive medical image techniques applied to Medicine and Sports.
Pedro Retorta
Pedro Retorta is a collaboration student in the Biophysics and Medical Physics Group at the University of Valencia. He has a MSc in Physiology at the University of Valencia and his master dissertation was about diabetic foot assessment using infrared thermography.
María Benimeli
María Benimeli is a collaborating professor in the Department of Nursing and Podology, and a podiatrist in the Podiatry Clinic at the University of Valencia. Her research interest is focused on the treatments of all the pathologies produced on the foot.
Rosa Mª Cibrián Ortiz De Anda
Rosa María Cibrián-Ortiz de Anda is Professor in the Department of Physiology and director of the Master’s Degree in Medical Physics of the University of Valencia, Spain. She holds a PhD in physics. Her current research is focused on non-lesive medical image techniques such as structured light, infrared thermography and digital speckle procedures.
Rosario Salvador Palmer
Rosario Salvador-Palmer is Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology, director of the Master’s Degree in Physiology and Coordinator of the Doctoral Programme in Physiology of the University of Valencia, Spain. She holds a PhD in physics. Her current research is focused on non-lesive medical image techniques applied to Medicine and Sports.
Rolando J. González Peña
Rolando González Peña is Associate Professor in the Department of at the University of Valencia. His current research is focused on image techniques such as digital speckle procedures to assess metabolic activity in cells.
Carlos Galindo
Carlos Galindo is a collaboration student in the Biophysics and Medical Physics Group at the University of Valencia. He has a MSc in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Valencia. His current research is focused on non-lesive medical image techniques applied to Medicine.
Laura Pino Almero
Laura Pino is a specialist in orthopaedic surgery at the University Clinical Hospital of Valencia, Spain, and is currently Associate Doctor of the Pediatric Orthopedics Unit in that hospital. She has contributed to the recollection of data from diabetic patients and its clinical analysis.
Mª Carmen Blasco
M. Carmen Blasco is a specialist in orthopaedic surgery at the University Clinical Hospital of Valencia, Spain. She has contributed to the recollection of data from diabetic patients and its clinical analysis.
M. Fe Mínguez
M. Fe Mínguez is a specialist in orthopaedic surgery at the University Clinical Hospital of Valencia, Spain, and is currently Head of the Pediatric Orthopedics unit in that hospital. Her research interests include the evaluation of patients using non-invasive image techniques such as structured light and infrared thermography.
Cecili Macián-Romero
Cecili Macián-Romero is a specialist in podiatric surgery and is currently Head of the Podiatry Clinic and the University of Valencia. His research interest is focused on the treatments of all the pathologies produced on the foot.