Precision and accuracy of intraoperative temperature monitoring

Using tympanic membrane (TM) temperature as a standard for core temperature, we quantitated the accuracy and precision of seven other temperature monitoring sites during anesthesia, namely, the nasopharynx, esophagus, rectum, bladder, axilla, forehead, and great toe. Accuracy was quantitated as the difference between TM temperature and the temperature at each of the other sites; precision was quantitated as the correlation between TM temperature and the temperature at each of the other sites. Results indicate that the accuracy of measurements made using the great toe, forehead, and axilla is less than the accuracy of measurements made using the nasopharynx, esophagus, bladder, and rectum. Precision of measurements made using the nasopharynx, esophagus, and bladder is greater than the precision at the axilla, forehead, and rectum, and much higher than the precision at the great toe. Measurements of body temperature using the nasopharynx, esophagus, and bladder are recommended for intraoperative use as providing the best combination of accuracy and precision.