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KMID : 0384320000210010057
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Korean Journal of Family Medicine
2000 Volume.21 No. 1 p.57 ~ p.74
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Practicality of thermography in evaluation of osteoarthritis of knee joint
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Kang Tea-Geun
Kim Han-Joo
Sim Hae-Seong
Kim Seon-Mee
Yoon Do-Kyung
Park Young-Kyu
Chang Jung-Ae
Cho Kyung-Hwan
Hong Myung-Ho
Kim Yong-Cheol
Choi Gi-Heung
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Abstract
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Background : About 80 percent of the Korean population over 55 years old show radiographic signs of osteoarthritis. Hence, osteoarthritis has become one of the most important public health problem among the old age. Despite the importance of this disease, proper methods for evaluation and diagnosis of osteoarthritis have not been
developed. Authors have investigated the sensitivity and specificity of thermography in diagnosing osteoarthritis.
Methods : Twenty patients who had visited the department of family medicine, Korea University Hospital, with non-traumatic knee pain during the period from April 1 to May 30, 1999, were included in the evaluations for clinical evaluation of osteoarthritis of the knee joints. Furthermore, the radiographic and thermographic examination of both knee joints were assessed.
Results : Among the twenty patients who have been examined, 15 patients were to have shown radiographic abnormality; on the other hand, 14 patients showed thermographic abnormality. Seventeen patients showed clinical manifestations of osteoarthritis. Twelve patients, among those who gad clinical osteoarthritis, were shown to have opsteoarthritis in both image studies, i.e. radiographic and thermographic abnormalities. All patients who had not shown clinical osteoarthritis, were normal on both image studies. The sensitivity and specificity of thermography in diagnosing osteoarthritis were 80% and 80%, respectively (P<0.05).
Conclusions : Hot spots or asymmetric distribution in the knee joint area of osteoarthritis patients were in thermographic examination. Thermography has shown efficacy in the evaluation of osteoarthritis.
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KEYWORD
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thermography, osteoarthritis, non-traumatic knee pain, clinical osteoarthritis
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