Wound Bed Temperature May Help Identify Chronic Wound Infection
Summary: A cross-sectional study from researchers at the University of Galway evaluated whether thermal imaging—specifically wound bed temperature—can aid clinicians in assessing potential infection in chronic wounds. A total of 267 patients with ulcers, including diabetic foot, pressure, venous, and arterial etiologies, were imaged using an infrared (IR) camera in a routine clinic setting.
Key Findings:
- The temperature at the center of wounds strongly correlated with the average wound bed temperature (R² = 0.977), suggesting that a single-point measurement may accurately reflect the whole wound.
- A modest correlation (Pearson r = 0.32) was found between the temperature difference (wound vs. periwound skin) and clinician-assessed infection status.
- Thermal imaging offers a non-contact, low-cost, and easy-to-use tool that could complement visual assessment—particularly when clinical signs of infection are unclear.
This study suggests that incorporating wound temperature measurement could enhance early detection of infection and support clinical decision-making, especially in challenging nonhealing wounds.
Keywords: wound bed temperature, thermal imaging, chronic wound infection, non-contact assessment, University of Galway