The aim of this review was to evaluate whether thermal imaging may constitute a reliable assessment method of musculoskeletal and temporomandibular disorders (TMD/MSD). A systematic review was conducted in the Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane library, Web of Science, and Lilacs databases. The search terms were “musculoskeletal disorders,”“temporomandibular disorders,”“infrared thermography,”“thermography,” and “infrared imaging.” The inclusion criteria were: studies published between January 1985 and January 2021, performed in humans, with sample size equal or greater than 20 patients, written in English, Portuguese, French and/or Spanish, and full text available. The exclusion criteria were: systematic reviews, case studies, and/or studies focused on pathologies beyond the review’s domain. The risk of bias was evaluated using CASP 2018. A total of 2032 articles were retrieved. Of these, 25 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included to withdraw the following information: title, type of study, first author and year of publication, objective, number of participants, comparisons, and principal conclusions. No RCT were found. Despite some disparity, points of convergence among the majority of authors could be found. In general, healthy individuals show subtle thermal differences between contralateral homolog areas. Concerning orofacial structures, unilateral symptomatic individuals may show thermal differences equal or greater than 0.4°C. Infrared thermography accuracy in diagnosing TMD/MSD is still considered low to moderate. Despite some limitations, IRT might constitute a valuable supporting diagnostic tool in the medical field of TMD and MSD.
RingEFAmmerK. Infrared thermal imaging in medicine. Physiol Meas2012; 33(3): R33–R46.
2.
de MeloDPBentoPMPeixotoLR, et al. Is infrared thermography effective in the diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders? A systematic review. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol2019; 127(2): 185–192.
3.
Dibai FilhoAVPackerACCostaAC, et al. Accuracy of infrared thermography of the masticatory muscles for the diagnosis of myogenous temporomandibular disorder. J Manipulative Physiol Ther2013; 36(4): 245–252.
4.
CharkoudianN. Human thermoregulation from the autonomic perspective. Auton Neurosci2016; 196: 1–2.
5.
NakamuraK. Central circuitries for body temperature regulation and fever. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol2011; 301(5): R1207–R1228.
6.
GrattBMGraff-RadfordSBShettyV, et al. A 6-year clinical assessment of electronic facial thermography. Dentomaxillofac Radiol1996; 25(5): 247–255.
7.
GabrielJAguiar BrancoCPinhão FerreiraA, et al. Termografia-Imagem médica e síndromes dolorosas. Lisboa: LIDEL, 2016.
8.
GrattBMSicklesEA. Thermographic characterization of the asymptomatic temporomandibular joint. J Orofac Pain1993; 7(1): 7–14.
9.
PogrelMAMcNeillCKimJM. The assessment of trapezius muscle symptoms of patients with temporomandibular disorders by the use of liquid crystal thermography. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod1996; 82(2): 145–151.
10.
SteedPA. The utilization of contact liquid crystal thermography in the evaluation of temporomandibular dysfunction. Cranio1991; 9(2): 120–128.
11.
MerlaARomaniG. Biomedical applications of functional infrared imaging. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc2005; 2006: 690–693.
12.
Al-SalehMAQAlsufyaniNASaltajiH, et al. MRI and CBCT image registration of temporomandibular joint: a systematic review. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg2016; 45(1): 30.
13.
AlmeidaFTPacheco-PereiraCFlores-MirC, et al. Diagnostic ultrasound assessment of temporomandibular joints: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Dentomaxillofac Radiol2019; 48(2): 20180144.
14.
CanavanDGrattBM. Electronic thermography for the assessment of mild and moderate temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod1995; 79(6): 778–786.
15.
BrioschiMCheremACarlos RuizR, et al. The use of infrared thermography in evaluating returns to work in an extended rehabilitation program (PRA). Acta Fisiátrica2009; 16: 87–92.
16.
WeinsteinSAWeinsteinGWeinsteinEL, et al. Facial thermography, basis, protocol, and clinical value. Cranio1991; 9(3): 201–211.
17.
LasanenRPiippo-SavolainenERemes-PakarinenT, et al. Thermal imaging in screening of joint inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis in children. Physiol Meas2015; 36: 273–282.
18.
WoźniakKSzyszka-SommerfeldLTrybekG, et al. Assessment of the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of thermography in identifying patients with TMD. Med Sci Monit2015; 21: 1485–1493.
19.
VarjúGPieperCFRennerJB, et al. Assessment of hand osteoarthritis: correlation between thermographic and radiographic methods. Rheumatology2004; 43(7): 915–919.
20.
DevereauxMDParrGRThomasDP, et al. Disease activity indexes in rheumatoid arthritis; a prospective, comparative study with thermography. Ann Rheum Dis1985; 44(7): 434–437.
21.
JonesBHassanITsuyukiRT, et al. Hot joints: myth or reality? A thermographic joint assessment of inflammatory arthritis patients. Clin Rheumatol2018; 37(9): 2567–2571.
22.
Dibai FilhoAVPackerACCostaAC, et al. Assessment of the upper trapezius muscle temperature in women with and without neck pain. J Manipulative Physiol Ther2012; 35(5): 413–417.
23.
LerkvaleekulBJaovisidhaSSungkaratW, et al. The comparisons between thermography and ultrasonography with physical examination for wrist joint assessment in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Physiol Meas2017; 38(5): 691–700.
24.
ParkJYHyunJKSeoJB. The effectiveness of digital infrared thermographic imaging in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. J Shoulder Elbow Surg2007; 16(5): 548–554.
25.
HaddadDSBrioschiMLAritaES. Thermographic and clinical correlation of myofascial trigger points in the masticatory muscles. Dentomaxillofac Radiol2012; 41(8): 621–629.
26.
UematsuS. Thermographic imaging of cutaneous sensory segment in patients with peripheral nerve injury. Skin-temperature stability between sides of the body. J Neurosurg1985; 62(5): 716–720.
27.
GrattBMSicklesEAWexlerCE. Thermographic characterization of osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joint. J Orofac Pain1993; 7(4): 345–353.
28.
GrattBMSicklesEAWexlerCE, et al. Thermographic characterization of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint. J Orofac Pain1994; 8(2): 197–206.
29.
ThomasDCullumDSiahamisG, et al. Infrared thermographic imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, CT scan and myelography in low back pain. Br J Rheumatol1990; 29(4): 268–273.
30.
SalisburyRSParrGDe SilvaM, et al. Heat distribution over normal and abnormal joints: thermal pattern and quantification. Ann Rheum Dis1983; 42(5): 494–499.
31.
VecchioPCAdebajoAOChardMD, et al. Thermography of frozen shoulder and rotator cuff tendinitis. Clin Rheumatol1992; 11(3): 382–384.
32.
BarbosaJSAmorimAArrudaM, et al. Infrared thermography assessment of patients with temporomandibular disorders. Dentomaxillofac Radiol2020; 49: 20190392.
33.
GattAMerciecaCBorgA, et al. Thermal characteristics of rheumatoid feet in remission: baseline data. PLoS One2020; 15(12): e0243078.
34.
RingEFJWatsonCBakerJ. Infrared thermography and thermal clearance of the skin. In: EngelJMFleschUStüttgenG (eds) Thermological methods. Deerfield Beach, FL: VCH, 1985, pp.133–141.
35.
Dibai-FilhoAVGuirroECFerreiraVT, et al. Reliability of different methodologies of infrared image analysis of myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. Braz J Phys Ther2015; 19(2): 122–128.
36.
GreinerMPfeifferDSmithRD. Principles and practical application of the receiver-operating characteristic analysis for diagnostic tests. Prev Vet Med2000; 45(1): 23–41.
37.
UematsuSEdwinDHJankelWR, et al. Quantification of thermal asymmetry. Part 1: normal values and reproducibility. J Neurosurg1988; 69(4): 552–555.
38.
KruseRAJrChristiansenJA. Thermographic imaging of myofascial trigger points: a follow-up study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil1992; 73(9): 819–823.
39.
GattAMerciecaCBorgA, et al. A comparison of thermographic characteristics of the hands and wrists of rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls. Sci Rep2019; 9(1): 17204.
40.
ClementeMPMendesJVardascaR, et al. Infrared thermography of the cranio-cervico-mandibular complex in wind and string instrumentalists. Int Arch Occup Environ Health2020; 93(5): 645–658.
41.
MerrillRL. Central mechanisms of orofacial pain. Dent Clin North Am2007; 51(1): 45–59.
