Medicinski vjesnik, Vol. 19 No. (1-2), 1987.
Original scientific paper
Thermography in detecting and observing of chondromalacio patellae
Milan Vujčić
Radomir Nedeljković
Abstract
Althaugh there exist definite diagnostic criteria for chondromalacio patellae, the disease is often accompanied by physical signs which are limited or nondiagnostic ones. It is very easy to either overlook or overdiagnose chondromalacia. Positive arthroscopy (or arthrotomy) for chondromalacio does not mean that the cause of the pain is chondromalacio, and negative arthrotomy for it may follow a seemingly characteristic clinical presentation. In our previous study we reported of the thermographic changes in patients with chondromalacio patellae. This paper reports of 308 healtny persons examined thermographycally and 157 new patients with clinical diagnosis of chondromalacio as well as 15 patients who have been admitted to thermographic examination because of the postoperative pain of long duration. We found that the sensibility of the method is 69% and specifity of it is 79.5% and it is age-dependent (varying from 89.7% in young persons to 65% in adults). 19.6% of healthy persons had termographic changes identical to those seen in patients with chondromalacio patellae. In 92% patients operated because of chondromalacia, the thermogram confirmed subjective complaints. Thermography is a very helpfull diagnostic tool for diagnosing chondromalacio in young persons, but it is not specific enough to diagnose that disease in adults.
Keywords
chondromalacio patellae; detecting; thermography
Hrčak ID:
197348
URI
Publication date:
1.12.1987.
Visits: 1.291 *