Infrared thermoimages display of body surface temperature reaction in experimental cholecystitis.

AIM: To display the thermoimages of the body surface in experimental cholecystitis, to observe the body surface temperature reaction in visceral disorders, and to study if the theory of body surface-viscera correlation is true and the mechanism of temperature changes along the meridians. METHODS: By injecting bacteria suspension into the stricture bile duct and gallbladder, 21 rabbits were prepared as acute pyogenic cholangiocholecystitis models, with another 8 rabbits prepared by the same process except without injection of bacteria suspension as control. The body surface infrared thermoimages were continuously observed on the hair shaven rabbit skin with AGA-782 thermovision 24 h before, 1-11 d after and (2, 3 wk) 4 wk after the operation with a total of over 10 records of thermoimages. RESULTS: Twelve cases out of 21 rabbits with cholecystitis revealed bi-lateral longitudinal high temperature lines in its trunk; with negative findings in the control group. The high-temperature line appeared on d1-d2, first in the right trunk, after the preparation of the model, about 7 d after the model preparation, the lines appeared at the left side too, persisting for 4 wk. The hyper-temperature line revealed 1.1-2.7 °C higher than before the model preparation, 0.7-2.5 °C higher than the surrounding skin. The length of the high temperature line might reach a half length of the body trunk, or as long as the whole body itself. CONCLUSION: The appearance of the longitudinal high temperature lines at the lateral aspects of the trunk in the experimental group is directly bound up with the experimental animals pyogenic cholecystitis, with its running course quite similar to that of the Gallbladder Channel of Foot Shaoyang, but different to the zones of hyperalgesia and site of referred pain in cholecystitis.