Technical Developments in Thermology — Introduction

Abstract

In recent years the technical developments in imaging have been considerable. Thermology, in particular, has benefited through the improvements that have been made in detector systems and the application of image and data processing techniques. However, in spite of technical improvements, careful consideration must always be given to the fundamental physical basis of IR emission. In his review of this subject, Prof J Steketee has emphasized the important aspects of emissivity, cooling, surface curvature and spatial resolution. The importance of emissivity in clinical investigations is also discussed by Dr J M Engel, who demonstrated unequivocally that ointment can alter the skin temperature by affecting the microcirculation and the emission characteristics of the skin surface.