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Original Article
Application of Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI) in the Monitoring of Change of Skin Temperature about Vascular Supply of Lower Abdominal Axial Flap in the Rabbit
Hyun nam Choi, Jin Hyung Park, Yea Sik Han, Sin Rak Kim, Han Kyeol Kim
Kosin Medical Journal 2013;28(2):131-136.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7180/kmj.2013.28.2.131
Published online: January 19, 2013

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, Kosin University, Busan, Korea

Corresponding author: Yea Sik Han, Department of Plastic Surgery, College of Medicine, Kosin University, 34 Amnam-dong, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-702, Korea TEL: +82-51-990-6131 FAX: +82-51-990-3005 E-mail: hanplastic1@naver.com
• Received: February 8, 2013   • Accepted: July 23, 2013

Copyright © 2013 Kosin University School of Medicine Proceedings

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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  • Methods
    Eight male New Zealand white rabbits with average weight of 3kg were used. A 10 x 10 cm unipedicled fasciocutaneous island flap was elevated based on the left superficial inferior epigastric vessel. The surface temperatures on designed flap were checked with DITI for 24 hours after the operation. On 14th day after the operation, the surviving area was measured and compared with DITI image which was taken on 24 hours after the operation using digital analysis software ImageJ. Statistical analysis was evaluated by paired T-test
  • Results
    On DITI image 24 hours after the flap elevation, distal portion of the flap showed remarkable color change. The average percentage and the standard deviation of the survival area of the flap which is predicted by DITI and the average percentage and the standard deviation of the survival area of the flap which was actually measured 2 weeks after flap elevation were 55.3 (16.6), 56.2 (18.0), respectively. This shows no significant difference between the two.
  • Objectives
    Monitoring viability of flap is important. The flap survival depends on the vascularity of the flap, on which the skin temperature depends. The authors applied digital infrared thermographic imaging (DITI) for monitoring the vascular supply of the flap and for the prediction of the prognosis of the flap survival.
  • Methods
    Eight male New Zealand white rabbits with average weight of 3kg were used. A 10 x 10 cm unipedicled fasciocutaneous island flap was elevated based on the left superficial inferior epigastric vessel. The surface temperatures on designed flap were checked with DITI for 24 hours after the operation. On 14th day after the operation, the surviving area was measured and compared with DITI image which was taken on 24 hours after the operation using digital analysis software ImageJ. Statistical analysis was evaluated by paired T-test
  • Results
    On DITI image 24 hours after the flap elevation, distal portion of the flap showed remarkable color change. The average percentage and the standard deviation of the survival area of the flap which is predicted by DITI and the average percentage and the standard deviation of the survival area of the flap which was actually measured 2 weeks after flap elevation were 55.3 (16.6), 56.2 (18.0), respectively. This shows no significant difference between the two.
  • Conclusions
    This study shows that DITI system could be used in evaluation of flap vascularity with ease, quickness and safety for patient and flap. Thus, it could be used clinically for the prediction of flap survival.
Fig. 1.
Design and elevation of fasciocutaneous island flap. (A) Preoperative marking of the flap, (B) Intraoperative view of 10 x 10 cm sized left superficial inferior epigastric artery based fasciocutaneous island flap elevation.
kmj-28-131f1.jpg
Fig. 2.
Post operative 2 weeks view. (A) Flap shows definite distal necrosis with black eschar, its DITI scan (B) which showed color image that higher temperature as more similar to red color. The yellow colored area matched with distal necrotic area of the flap.
kmj-28-131f2.jpg
Fig. 3.
DITI scan change for pre-operation, POD1, POD7, POD14. (A) Flap image after 2 weeks from surgery, (B) (from left upper to clockwise rotation) which shows DITI scan for pre-operation, POD1, POD7, POD14, there is no significant color change from POD1 to POD14.
kmj-28-131f3.jpg
Table 1.
Comparison of expected survival area by DITI and measured survival area
Case Expected survival area by DITI (%) Measured survival area (%) Accordance rate
1 59.0 64.0 91.5
2 74.6 67.1 89.9
3 39.8 37.4 94.0
4 50.4 58.0 85.2
5 71.9 79.0 90.1
6 33.6 34.0 98.6
7 40.5 36.2 89.6
8 72.9 74.2 98.2
Average 55.3 56.2 92.1
Table 2.
Statistical analysis by paired T-test
Expected survival
area by DITI (%)
Measured survival
area (%)
Mean SD 55.3 (16.6) 56.2 (18.0)
P-value* 0.6 629

* Statistical significance was evaluated by paired T-test.

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        Application of Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI) in the Monitoring of Change of Skin Temperature about Vascular Supply of Lower Abdominal Axial Flap in the Rabbit
        Kosin Med J. 2013;28(2):131-136.   Published online January 19, 2013
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