Encapsulated liquid crystal (ELC) thermography in peripheral arterial disease.

The correlation between peripheral pressures and skin temperatures was studied by encapsulated liquid crystal (ELC) plates in 66 patients with peripheral arterial disease. The study was also performed to evaluate the correlation between symptoms and temperature in four symptomatic groups of patients (with claudication, rest pain, ischemic ulcerations or gangrene and chronic ulcerations in diabetic patients). The correlation with temperature and pressure was positive (0.99) and so it was that one between symptoms and temperature. This method may be easily used in patients with peripheral arterial disease to evaluate the perfusion of the extremities and to compare bordering areas. Considering these data different new applications of this technique in peripheral vascular disease diagnosis can be suggested. The elevate velocity of the method (about 5 seconds) reveal also very fast variations of the perfusion and this may be useful to study functional decreases of blood pressure.