Traceability and calibration in temperature measurement: a clinical necessity

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Metrology
• Clinical Thermometry

Background:

• Patient temperature monitoring is vital for diagnosis and treatment across various clinical settings.
• Clinical thermometers are categorized as contact (oral, rectal) or non-contact (ear, temporal, thermal imagers).
• Accurate temperature readings are essential for reliable patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To emphasize the critical need for traceable calibration of clinical thermometers.
• To highlight the importance of the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90) in thermometry.
• To discuss the implications of unaccredited calibrations on patient safety and care.

Main Methods:

• The abstract discusses the principles of contact and non-contact thermometry.
• It references the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90) as the standard for calibration.
• The role of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in disseminating ITS-90 is mentioned.

Main Results:

• Lack of traceable calibration accredited to ISO17025 can lead to unreliable temperature measurements.
• Unreliable measurements can negatively impact patient care and clinical decision-making.
• Traceable calibration ensures confidence in the performance of temperature measurement instruments.

Conclusions:

• Traceable calibration to ITS-90 is highly desirable for clinical thermometers.
• Accredited calibrations are essential for ensuring the reliability of patient temperature measurements.
• Adherence to metrological standards is fundamental for safe and effective patient care.