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Infrared Thermography for the Detection of Changes in Brown Adipose Tissue Activity
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Applicability of Infrared Thermography in Occupational Health for Multidisciplinary Clinical Decision-Making: A
Marta Regina Cezar-Vaz1, Aline da Rosa Pizarro2, Joice Simionato Vettorello3
1Postgraduate Program in Nursing, Federal University of Rio Grande and Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Objectives:
To identify and synthesize evidence on the applications of infrared thermography in the assessment of work-related conditions and to examine its contribution as a non-invasive, adjunctive, and complementary tool to support multidisciplinary clinical assessment and decision-making in occupational health.
Methods:
A systematic review with narrative synthesis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 statement and was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. Nine bibliographic databases were searched without date or language restrictions. Critical appraisal used Joanna Briggs Institute tools selected according to study design.
Results:
Database searches identified 317 records, and seven additional reports were identified through other methods. Forty-nine studies published from 1975 to 2025 were included. Infrared thermography characterized thermal patterns, monitored occupational exposures and physiological responses, documented changes following interventions or across assessed conditions, and contributed to exploratory screening or predictive models. Applications addressed peripheral vascular responses to cold and vibration, musculoskeletal loading, heat stress, fatigue and drowsiness, respiratory protection, and emerging computational technologies. Observational designs predominated, with heterogeneous protocols and several small or convenience samples. No included study was classified as a diagnostic accuracy study.
Conclusions:
Overall, infrared thermography was used primarily as a non-invasive, adjunctive, and complementary imaging method to document skin-surface temperature distribution and thermal patterns in occupational contexts. When interpreted alongside occupational history and clinical, physiological, ergonomic, and environmental information, thermographic findings may contribute to multidisciplinary clinical assessment and decision-making. Methodological limitations and heterogeneity warrant caution when transferring findings across work-related conditions and occupational settings.
