Thermometry and interpretation of body temperature

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Physiology
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Human body temperature (BT) has been a fundamental vital sign since the 19th century, crucial for clinical diagnosis and healthcare.
• Understanding BT set point and thermoregulation is key to interpreting temperature measurements.
• Various factors influence BT measurement accuracy and reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of thermometric technologies for human body temperature measurement.
• To explore both the methodologies of BT measurement and the interpretation of its significance.
• To discuss the historical development and current state of BT measurement techniques.

Main Methods:

• Categorization of BT measurement into core, surface, and basal body temperature based on position and activity.
• Classification of measurement methodologies into instrumental (direct, indirect, invasive, noninvasive) and mathematical (modeling-based) approaches.
• Summary of thermometry modalities based on dichotomies like contact/noncontact and 1-D/n-D.

Main Results:

• Identified key determinants influencing BT measurement.
• Detailed instrumental methods using transducers and electronic instrumentation.
• Described mathematical methods employing models like regression and Kalman filters for indirect BT estimation.
• Classified thermometry modalities into various types.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive interpretation of BT is as vital as accurate measurement.
• BT applications are categorized into real-time and long-term uses.
• Future developments in thermometry and BT interpretation are anticipated with advancements in IoT, big data, and AI.