Evaluation of a noninvasive deep body thermometer in measurement of specific positions.

This study tried to address the theoretical issue of a noninvasive deep body thermometer based on dual-heat-flux method about what depth does the thermometer measure and to what extent can it reflect the change of the real core body temperature (CBT). Authors built up two elaborate 3D models incorporated with the statistics of clinical studies and minute description of blood perfusion to mimic the situations when the thermometer was applied to forehead and thorax, respectively. The results based on finite element analysis show that the thermometer can approximate to the frontal bone and reach to the sternum. For the range from 34 to 40 °C, the measuring depth was stable and hardly be influenced by central thermoregulatory system. Furthermore, it is also suggested that the forehead may be suited for intensive CBT monitoring and the thorax is feasible for daily healthcare application.