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Related Concept Videos

Equipments Used to Measure Body Temperature01:13

Equipments Used to Measure Body Temperature

Body temperature can be assessed using various devices and measured in Celsius or Fahrenheit.
Glass-bulb Thermometer:
Glass-bulb thermometers are hollow glass tubes with a bulb tip containing liquid such as ethanol or mercury. Historically, glass bulb mercury thermometers were the standard device to measure body temperature. Today, mercury thermometers are prohibited in many countries due to the hazardous effects of mercury and the risk of exposure if the glass bulb breaks. In general,...
Temperature Measurement Sites01:14

Temperature Measurement Sites

A thermometer measures body temperature. The common sites for measuring body temperature are the oral cavity, axillary region, temporal artery, and skin surface, such as the forehead, abdomen, and axilla. True core body temperature is assessed in the rectum, tympanic membrane, pulmonary artery, esophagus, and urinary bladder.
Oral: When assessing oral temperature, the thermometer tip should be placed under the tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket. It offers accurate readings and can be...
Thermometers and Temperature Scales01:22

Thermometers and Temperature Scales

Any physical property that depends consistently and reproducibly on temperature can be used as the basis of a thermometer. For example, volume increases with temperature for most substances. This property is the basis for the common alcohol thermometer and the original mercury thermometers. Other properties used to measure temperature include electrical resistance, color, and the emission of infrared radiation.
As many physical properties depend on temperature, the variety of thermometers is...
Assessing Body Temperature - Temporal Artery01:19

Assessing Body Temperature - Temporal Artery

Here is a stepwise guide to assessing the body temperature at the temporal artery using a temporal artery thermometer
Step 1: Perform hand hygiene and don a fresh pair of gloves to prevent cross-infection and ensure patient safety.
Step 2: Explain the procedure to the patient to establish trust. Clear communication establishes trust with the patient, ensures they understand what to expect, promotes cooperation, and enhances comfort during the procedure.  
Step 3: Assess the patient's forehead...
Assessing Body Temperature - Oral01:14

Assessing Body Temperature - Oral

Here are the steps to accurately measure oral temperature using an electronic thermometer:
Step 1:
Start by practicing proper hand hygiene to prevent the spread of microorganisms.
Step 2:
Take the thermometer out of the charging unit, switch it on, and wait for the ready sign.
Step 3:
Gently slide the probe cover until a click is heard. This simple action prevents cross-contamination and ensures the correct placement of the probe cover.
Step 4:
Instruct the patient to open their mouth and place...
Assessing Body Temperature - Tympanic membrane01:14

Assessing Body Temperature - Tympanic membrane

Assessing tympanic membrane temperature involves using a tympanic membrane thermometer (TMT). Here is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Begin by practicing good hand hygiene to prevent the transmission of microorganisms.
Step 2: Turn on the thermometer and wait until the ready sign appears on the screen to ensure accurate measurement.
Step 3: Slide the probe cover in place to prevent cross-contamination.
Step 4: Instruct the patient to tilt their head to the side for comfort and check for cerumen...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Fabrication and Testing of Photonic Thermometers
08:44

Fabrication and Testing of Photonic Thermometers

Published on: October 24, 2018

Homemade thermometry instruments in the field.

Mathieu Pasquier1, Valentin Rousson, Grégoire Zen Ruffinen

  • 1Emergency Service, University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland. mathieu.pasquier@chuv.ch

Wilderness & Environmental Medicine
|March 24, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Homemade esophageal thermometers, adapted from indoor/outdoor devices, demonstrated accurate temperature readings in laboratory settings. These devices are suitable for emergency hypothermia monitoring when standard equipment is unavailable.

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Area of Science:

  • Emergency Medicine
  • Medical Device Technology
  • Temperature Monitoring

Background:

  • Esophageal temperature is the gold standard for monitoring core body temperature in hypothermic cardiac arrest patients.
  • Mountain rescue teams sometimes use modified indoor/outdoor thermometers for esophageal temperature measurement due to practical constraints.
  • The accuracy of these homemade devices for clinical use has not been extensively studied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the accuracy of homemade esophageal thermometers compared to a reference thermometer.
  • To determine the clinical acceptability of temperature measurements obtained from modified indoor/outdoor thermometers.

Main Methods:

  • Two identical digital cabled indoor/outdoor thermometers were modified for esophageal use.
  • The modified thermometers were tested against a reference thermometer in a water bath ranging from 10°C to 35.2°C.
  • A total of 300 measurements were recorded for each thermometer.

Main Results:

  • Both homemade thermometers showed good correlation and clinically acceptable agreement with the reference thermometer.
  • Temperature measurements from the homemade devices were within 0.5°C of the reference thermometer in 97.5% of trials.
  • The in vitro performance indicated reliable temperature readings.

Conclusions:

  • Modified indoor/outdoor thermometers demonstrated acceptable accuracy in laboratory conditions.
  • These homemade devices can be a viable option for esophageal temperature monitoring in critical situations where conventional thermometers are inaccessible.
  • Clinical use should be limited to scenarios where standard esophageal thermometers cannot be employed.