The present study assessed the diagnostic significance of digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI) in determining the inflammatory state of patients with nonspecific orbital inflammation.

The present study included 11 patients diagnosed with nonspecific orbital inflammation between December 2009 and March 2011 and who were followed-up for more than 6 months. All patients were all diagnosed based on computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance image (MRI) and tissue biopsy. The grade of eyelid swelling was classified as 5 and severe compared with the temperature of location. The temperature of the upper eyelid, caruncle, medial conjunctiva, lateral conjunctiva, lower eyelid, cornea and lateral orbit were measured with DITI.

When comparing the normal eye with the diseased eye in patients with nonspecific orbital inflammation, the temperature of the upper eyelid and cornea were statistically significant ( p = 0.003, p = 0.038, respectively, Mann-Whitney test). The correlation between the grade of eyelid swelling and the temperature of location was most highly related in the temperature of the upper eyelid (Spearman's correlation coefficient, r = 0.55, p = 0.008) and cornea (Spearman's correlation coefficient, r = 0.45, p = 0.037).

DITI may aid in evaluating the inflammatory state of nonspecific orbital inflammation. In particular, the temperature of the upper eyelid and cornea can be very useful indicator. Future studies, including larger study population are necessary in order to confirm DITI as a diagnostic tool which can assess the results of medical treatment by comparing temperature before and after treatment.