Infrared Thermography with High Accuracy in a Neonatal Incubator

• Published in: Annals of biomedical engineering Vol. 50; no. 5; pp. 529 - 539
• Main Authors: Hamada, Keisuke, Hirakawa, Eiji, Asano, Hidetsugu, Hayashi, Hayato, Mine, Takashi, Ichikawa, Tatsuki, Nagata, Yasuhiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.05.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accuracy; Biochemistry; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedicine; Biophysics; Blackbody; Body Temperature; Classical Mechanics; Humans; Incubators; Infant, Newborn; Infrared imaging; Infrared Rays; Neonates; Original; Original Article; Reliability analysis; Reproducibility of Results; Skin Temperature; Temperature measurement; Thermistors; Thermography; Thermography - methods; Thermoregulation; IRT; Calibration; Premature infants; Non-invasive; Monitoring
• ISSN: 0090-6964; 1573-9686; 1573-9686
• DOI: 10.1007/s10439-022-02937-w

As the accuracy of body temperature measurement is especially critical in premature infants on admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), noninvasive measurement using infrared thermography (IRT) has not been widely adopted in the NICU due to a lack of evidence regarding its accuracy. We have established a new calibration method for IRT in an incubator, and evaluated its accuracy and reliability at different incubator settings using a variable-temperature blackbody furnace. This method improved the accuracy and reliability of IRT with an increase in percentage of data with mean absolute error (MAE) < 0.3 °C to 93.1% compared to 4.2% using the standard method. Two of three IRTs had MAE < 0.1 °C under all conditions examined. This method provided high accuracy not only for measurements at specific times but also for continuous monitoring. It will also contribute to avoiding the risk of neonates' skin trouble caused by attaching a thermistor. This study will facilitate the development of novel means of administering neonatal body temperature.