Thermographic assessment of peripheral arterial occlusion

Infra-red thermography was used to confirm the observation that the temperature differences between corresponding areas of skin on opposing hands are normally minimal and to demonstrate that the skin temperature of the hand distal to an occluded radial or brachial artery was lower than that of the contra-lateral hand. Temperature differences between the two hands decreased with time and had disappeared by the time that recannulation of the occluded artery, gauged by the modified "Allen" test, had occurred. Thermography is a simple and noninvasive technique and provides a useful indicator of the incidence and progress of peripheral arterial occlusion such as that which may follow arterial cannulation.