Thermal Imaging to Diagnose and Monitor Suspected Bacterial Infections

Thermal Imaging to Diagnose and Monitor Suspected Bacterial Infections

The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of using thermal images to diagnose bacterial pneumonia instead of a chest x-ray in the future. More specifically, the objectives of this study are: 1) to determine if thermal imaging, using a commercial thermal camera can detect areas of heat emitted from the chest in similar locations to where a chest X-ray shows focal consolidation consistent with bacterial pneumonia; 2) to evaluate whether changes in heat emitted from the chest changes over time if it is possible to obtain serial images of the chest.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subject sent for a clinical chest X-ray (not research) to rule out pneumonia
• Thermal images obtained using FLIR ONE within 4 hours of the chest x-ray
• Signed informed consent obtained
• Subject is a patient at a participating clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital

Exclusion Criteria:

• None