Background Infrared thermography (IRT) provides accurate measurements of surface temperatures. In inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, tissue temperature is elevated, which can be measured on the periarticular skin surface by IRT. The aim of this review is to evaluate the evidence for the relationship between skin temperature (measured by IRT) and arthritic knee pain and discuss the limitations of IRT in clinical settings of arthritis. Method To reach this goal, a mini-review of all the relevant papers indexed in PubMed was conducted. Results Several studies suggest a significant correlation between skin temperature assessed by IRT and the severity of arthritic knee pain (especially in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis). Conclusion IRT is a reliable technique to assess inflammatory arthritis pain.
Keywords: infrared thermography; osteoarthritis; pain; rheumatoid arthritis; temperature.