A thermal imaging camera system is being used at the the University of Glamorgan to produce thermographic reference maps of healthy people as a benchmark for medical analysis
A major research project is now being undertaken by the University of Glamorgan's School of Computing and Division of Chriopractic to produce thermographic reference maps of healthy people as a benchmark for medical analysis.
This has resulted from the University's close collaboration with several hospitals and made possible by its recent acquisition of a Flir ThermaCam SC500 thermal imaging camera.
A dedicated thermographic laboratory was opened on campus earlier this year, enabling more research work of this type to be conducted in association with visiting fellows and allied teaching hospitals. The facility enforces the university's growing status as an important member of the international consortium attached to the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.
The university has a reputation for placing great emphasis on the learning needs of individuals.
It has therefore adopted a modular system of study, enabling students to shape their education to meet their aims and vocational needs.
Practical thermal imaging is one such module, introduced to extend the scope of those whose interests are in computer sciences.
"We assessed a number of thermal imaging cameras," explained Professor of Computing, Bryan Jones, "And felt Flir Systems' SC500 offered us the best combination of value-for-money, ease-of-use, thermal sensitivity and spatial resolution." The research project in which the students are now involved requires them to examine the skin temperature distribution of voluntary participants and patients referred to the university by NHS clinicians.
"We need to detect small temperature changes within the band of 25-35C," Bryan Jones continues.
"Clearly the greater the detail, the more valuable the research." The SC500 can distinguish variations as subtle as 0.1C and has a range of automated features to ensure the measurement parameters are exactly replicated for a sequence of tests.
The ThermaCam SC500 was introduced to provide the R and D community with the benefits of uncooled thermal imaging at relatively low cost.
It features 14-bit digital output that feeds real-time data to a PC for recording and analysis.
The university has opted to use its own in-house developed software called CTherm to acquire and analyse thermal images.
The camera's outstanding longwave performance provides superb image quality, low atmospheric attenuation and precise measurement accuracy.
It auto adjusts both temperature level and span to deliver the best image possible.
When completed, the medical thermographic maps will be published by the university as a reference work.
This project requires the ThermaCam to use only ten degrees of its temperature span.
It is in fact rated for use from -40 to +500C in its standard measurement range with options extending the maximum temperature to 2000C.
With this facility at its disposal, the university now has the potential to widen the scope of its medical imaging work considerably and to become a centre of excellence in this field.
