[Contact thermography in assessing inflammatory joint diseases]

Cutaneous hyperthermia represents a symptom of inflammatory joint diseases and "activated" arthroses. Arthritis and arthrosis may be differentiated by the different distribution and extent of hyperthermia. In an equal number of different joint diseases the symptoms and signs and the course of the diseases were investigated with the aid of contact thermography. The results indicate different exact localisations of temperature changes in the affected joints which together with the clinical findings may make it possible to establish differential diagnostic definitions between arthrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. In the authors' opinion contact thermography is, however, not suited for observations of the course of the diseases.