[Assessment of activity in bone tumours by telethermography (author's transl)]

The assessment of activity in bone tumours after irradiation is somewhat uncertain. In most cases, the process of healing cannot be assessed. The authors propose the use of tele-thermography, which was used 14 patients. In 8 cases, amputation was performed when tele-thermography showed persistent activity. In all cases, secondary microscopic examination of the amputated limb showed remaining active tumour in spite of negative radiological appearances. In 6 cases, in which tele-thermography was negative, the limb was not amputated with no recurrence up to the present time. The follow up study has varied from 15 months to 5 years. The authors consider that this technique is of great value in the assessment of the activity of irradiated sarcomata.