The use of thermography in the diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency – a review of the literature

<b>Introduction:</b> Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a disease that affects 30 to even 50% of the population in developed countries. The cost of treatment is up to 2% of the funds allocated for health care. Optimization of the diagnostic and treatment process is a key challenge. The solution that may help improve this process is infrared thermography.<b>Aim:</b> Evaluation of the progress made so far with the use of thermography in the diagnosis and treatment of CVI.<b>Materials and methods:</b> Analysis of clinical trials evaluating the use of thermography in the diagnosis and treatment of CVI. Articles were searched in the PubMed database.<b>Results:</b> In the study 14 articles were included. The small number of studies did not allow for more accurate calculations. A comparative assessment was made. A close correlation was shown between the severity of the disease, expressed as the duration of reflux in the vein, and the thermographic image (r = 0.4). Differences in skin temperature on the limb were shown in the place where the veins are pathologically changed. The differences are also visible in the area of vessels not visible in ultrasound. The specificity and sensitivity of the method are about 95%. That confirms the usefulness of this technique in clinical practice. There is still a lack of standardization of the method.<b>Conclusions:</b> Thermography is a method that can be used to diagnose CVI. It is a complementary method to ultrasound. Further research and standardisation are needed for wider use.