Clinical Study Of Stroke Patients Back Of Infrared Thermal Image Of The Relationship Between Changes In The Meridian Points

Objective: The concept of CVD is equal to Stroke in the field of Chinese Medicine. It leads to many serious problems such as hemiplegia, dysphasia and cognitive impairments. Chinese Medicine treatments probably improve the recovery of stroke patients and are widely applied in clinical practice in China. Accurate judgment of Pathogenesis and Syndrome Differentiation plays a key role in CVD treatment. IRT can reveal skin temperature distribution patterns so the status of Cold and Heat, Deficiency and Excess of Channels and Zang-Fu Organs will be found out, which will contribute to clinical decision making to a great extent. The human back, where all Back-Shu points are located, is an ideal object for IRT examination. The objective of this research is to analyze the turbulence of Channels, acupuncture points and Zang-Fu Organs of stroke patients through comparing skin temperature distribution patterns on the back of stroke patients with those of asymptomatic people using Infrared Thermal Imaging technique. Methods: 31 CVD patients and 20 asymptomatic individuals were included from September 2004 through March 2005. Of all studied patients, 17 suffered CH and 14 CI. Specific reference cold points were chosen for study. Based on the coordinates of cold points, the locations of the intervertebral spaces, Du Channels, Bladder Channels and acupuncture points of these Channels were determined. The Skin temperature distribution patterns on the back of both groups were studied through investigating Infrared Thermal Images collected in computer. Results: The Skin temperature distribution patterns on the back of asymptomatic individuals were characterized by a high degree of symmetry. The most common patterns are Y, V or T patterns. The spine area and upper parts of the back appeared as relatively hot places and lower parts of the lateral back as cool places. The thermogram distribution patterns of stroke patients were abnormal, and main problems go as follows: (1)the relative higher temperature zone appearing on the Du Channels became shortened or/and broken; (2)the symmetry of the lateral areas on the back corresponding to upper and middle parts of the thoracical spine were markedly disturbed;(3) relatively cool places in hemiplegia patients caused by CI were ipsilateral to paralyzed limbs, while of those in hemiplegia patients caused by CH,10 cases were ipsilateral, other 5 cases were contralateral to paralyzed limbs;(4)2 cases suffering evident psychopathy after stroke had cold zones along thoracical spine area, especially remarkable between T7-8 to T12-L1 intervertebral spaces. Conclusions: The interruption and shortening of the high temperature zone along the Du Channel suggest the dysfunction of this Channel; the asymmetry of the lateral areas on the back corresponding to upper and middle parts of the thoracical spine indicates that Qi of heart and lungs in stroke patients cannot perform properly; the Pathogenesis of hemiplegia patients caused by CH or CI may be different based on the phenomenon that relatively cool zones in some CH cases were contralateral to paralyzed limbs; the manifestation of that 2 cases suffering evident psychopathy reveals the fact that mania should not be considered as a symptom only related to excess of Qi and Yang.