Lumbar and Cervical Thermography for Nerve Fiber Impingement: A Critical Review

The thermogram can graphically demonstrate the effects of irritation of sensory/autonomic nerve fibers. As such, it is a test of physiology and presents unique information that is not otherwise easily obtained. An analysis of prospective, retrospective, and blinded studies, and, sensitivity, correlative data, specificity, reliability, and predictive value data parameters was performed in regard to lumbar and cervical thermography for nerve fiber impingement. From this analysis, it is concluded that this type of thermography has a diagnostic validity at least equivalent to accepted radiologic procedures such as myelography and CT scanning, and a higher negative predictive value than either.