2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Development of an assessment scale for diabetic foot ulcers using thermography

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23792580
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Clinical nursing
Research Institution	The University of Tokyo
Principal Investigator	OE MAKOTO 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (60389939)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2013
Keywords	糖尿病性足潰瘍 / 皮膚温 / 評価スケール
Research Abstract	Photographs of ulcers were sketched, verbalized and conceptualized to clarify the healing process of diabetic foot ulcers. As a result, the following categories were extracted: "depth," "wound edge," "type of the necrotic tissue," "extent of necrotic tissue," and "inflammation/infection." Ulcers were found to become shallower in "depth," reduce the "extent of necrotic tissue" and maceration at the "wound edge," and heal. An assessment scale using these categories was prepared. Thermographic findings were reviewed to develop a screening method for osteomyelitis difficult to grossly identify. The results showed that the rate of being complicated by osteomyelitis was significantly higher when skin temperatures, including those of the ankles, were increased. For evaluation of diabetic foot ulcers, it was suggested to screen osteomyelitis by thermography and score osteomyelitis of "infection/inflammation" on the assessment scale.