Abstract
Standardisation protocols are of importance for reliable use of infrared thermal imaging in medicine. Infrared camera systems are now of higher performance with improved reliability, which can lead the operator to assume that the system is continually giving optimal performance. This paper describes some simple procedures that can be used by a thermographer to monitor performance, and determine the calibration offset. These are: a start-up drift test, long term drift test, offset variation, image non-uniformity, and thermal flooding effect. It is important to know the length of time from switching the power on, to reaching radiometric stability, which may differ from the manufacturer's general guidelines. Knowledge of the camera's function is important for reliable follow-up imaging in the clinical environment, the electronic exchange of images with other centres, and the routine monitoring of infrared systems being used continuously, as in mass fever screening in airports etc. These tests are not intended to replace those performed by manufacturers or calibration laboratories, but can provide valuable information on both short and long-term camera performance.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 10-15 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Thermology International |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2006 |
Keywords
- Monitoring performance
- Quality assurance
- Thermal imaging