Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2025
06:08
Quantitative Visualization and Detection of Skin Cancer Using Dynamic Thermal Imaging
Published on: May 5, 2011
16.9K
Determining the Definitive Time Criterion for Postherpetic Neuralgia Using Infrared Thermographic Imaging.
Jae Hun Kim1, Chang-Soon Lee2,3, Woong Ki Han4
1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Pain and Therapy
|March 14, 2022
Summary
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) may be defined as 12 weeks after herpes zoster (HZ) onset, based on skin temperature indicating the end of inflammation. This provides a new evidence-based criterion for PHN diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Dermatology
- Pain management
Background:
- Current time criteria for postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) lack evidence.
- Arbitrary timelines may not accurately reflect the resolution of herpes zoster (HZ) inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a definitive time criterion for PHN.
- To determine when zoster-induced skin inflammation resolves using objective measures.
Main Methods:
- Infrared thermography measured skin temperature differences (ΔTemp) between affected and unaffected areas in HZ patients.
- End of inflammation defined as ΔTemp ≤ 0.
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis identified the time point for PHN onset.
Main Results:
- Analysis of 503 patients indicated inflammation resolution at 12 weeks post-HZ onset (95% CI: 11-15 weeks).
- ROC analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.901.
- A 12-week criterion achieved high sensitivity (0.807), specificity (0.905), and accuracy (0.871).
Conclusions:
- Skin temperature normalization at 12 weeks post-HZ onset signifies the end of local inflammation.
- This suggests PHN, linked to pathophysiological changes, can be defined as starting 12 weeks after rash onset.
- The study provides a scientific basis for defining the timing of PHN.
