MRI and Thermography Integration Current Status and Future Progress

Background: In recent years, imaging has evolved into a pivotal tool within medical sciences due to its invaluable contribution to the accurate diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. Among various imaging techniques, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Infrared Thermography (IRT) stand out as pivotal tools driving this progression. MRI operates on the principle of proton frequency shifts and provides high-resolution, detailed images of internal tissues, crucial for identifying pathological conditions. Conversely, IRT, a non-invasive modality, assesses surface temperature variations by measuring emitted infrared radiation, facilitating the detection of subtle physiological changes indicative of neurological, vascular, and metabolic disorders. Despite the significant advancements in standalone imaging technologies, integrating MRI and IRT presents a novel approach to enhancing diagnostic accuracy, particularly for superficial diseases such as abscesses, cancer, vascular disorders, inflammation, and infections. This paper explores the synergistic application of these imaging modalities, emphasizing their potential in improving patient outcomes. Materials and Methods: The keywords of “magnetic Resonance Imaging", "Thermography", "superficial diseases", "diagnostic Tools", "Infrared Imaging", "merging mri and thermo graphy", "non-invasive imaging", "early detection" were into scientific databases of Pubmed, Google scholar, Research gate, BMC oral health, Nature MDPI, Wiley, SID, Science direct, and National institute of health. About ۸۴ papers were extracted and ۵۱ fully relevant of them reviewed from years of ۲۰۰۱ to ۲۰۲۳. Results: Studies indicate that combining infrared thermography (IRT) with MRI provides significant benefits in the diagnosis and management of diseases, offering advantages such as more accurate and comprehensive diagnoses. The integration enables early detection of diseases like breast cancer, where timely diagnosis correlates with a remarkable ۹۵% treatment success rate, highlighting its clinical significance. It also reduces the need for invasive procedures, allows for continuous non-invasive patient monitoring, and provides more detailed and comprehensive information. However, it has not been tested extensively for imaging deep-seated organs like the brain. The integration of technological advancements further enhances the efficacy of this combination. Improvements in thermography camera quality, advancements in MRI imaging speed and accuracy, and the integration with artificial intelligence (AI) techniques like machine learning have been pivotal. Additionally, combining these with other techniques such as Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), Radiofrequency Microneedling (FRM), Tractography (MRT), and advances in nanotechnology such as plasmonic nanoparticles, positions thermography as a complementary tool to MRI rather than a standalone diagnostic method. However, environmental factors, such as ambient temperature, can affect the sensitivity of this combination in thermography. Conclusions: Considering the adverse effects of radiation, particularly in children, it is important to explore alternative diagnostic methods. The combination of MRI and thermography presents an innovative and promising approach in medicine, offering more accurate and comprehensive imaging that enhances the quality of medical care and increases precision in diagnosis and treatment. Continued research and technological advancements are expected to further solidify the importance of this combination in the future of medicine.

کلیدواژه ها:

Merging MRI and thermography ، Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ، Thermography ، Superficial diseases ، Diagnostic Tools ، Infrared Imaging ، Non-invasive imaging ، Early detection