Using A Thermal Camera To Spot A Broken Wrist

Chemist and Biochemist [Thunderf00t] has shown us a really interesting video in which you can spot the wrist he broke 10 years ago using a thermal camera.

He was on an exercise bike while filming himself on a high-resolution thermal camera, As his body started to heat up he noticed that one hand was not dumping as much heat as the other. In fact one was dumping very little heat. Being a man of science he knew there must be some explanation for this. He eventually came to the conclusion that during a nasty wrist breaking incident about 10 years ago it must have affected the blood-flow to that hand, Which would go on to produce these type of results on a thermal camera while exercising.

Using thermal camera’s to spot fractures in the extremities is nothing new as it has the benefit of eliminating radiation exposure for patients, But it’s not as detailed as an X-ray or as cool as fluoroscopy and is only useful for bones near the surface of the skin.  It’s still great that you can visualize this for yourself and even after 10 years still notice a significant difference.

29 thoughts on “Using A Thermal Camera To Spot A Broken Wrist

      1. That is a logical point, e.g. if an MRI finds a mass it isn’t cancer until the surgeon has provided the pathologist with a sample. Although he has prior knowledge that is relevant other possibilities must be eliminated.

  1. Thermal visualization of an extremity has very poor specificity for any fracture as any inflammation (such as cellulitis or a contusion) will cause an increase in temperature. Probably a more apt title would be something along the lines of using a thermal camera to look for dissimilarities in blood flow between two extremities while exercising. One can have a hairline fracture and not have any significant enough alteration in blood flow to show a difference with a thermal camera years down the line. In addition, a change in blood flow does not automatically signify a fracture as other things can cause it such as surgery, more metabolic demand in that extremity, clots, and mass effect.

    1. I watched several of his videos. I think you’re incorrect.

      Do you really want to turn this from an interesting discussion of possibly detecting bone fractures using IR imaging to some kind of argument over how many females play video games?
      Go back to commenting on YouTube.

        1. He’s an asshole, the people he complains about are assholes, everyone’s an asshole….
          ????Everyone’s an asshole????
          ????Everyone’s a a bitch when you think about it????
          ????Everyone’s an asshole????
          ????So just get over it????
          (to the tune of everything is awesome)

          1. ‘Snowflake’ & ‘trigger warning’ are lazy ways to dismiss someone who points something out. TF *is* a creepy wanker, sadly.

            (All IMO, obvs)

            Passed through Dumfries just recently! Used to go to the market there years ago.

        1. I get what you are saying however TF isn’t a misogynist he just isn’t PC. He is an egalitarian.

          Market used to be good but town is dead these days. I can’t reply to your new comment unfortunately. Small world though.

          1. Didn’t watch the video, so no comment on that guy.

            I’m assuming you’re just unconcerned about the way you come across to people?

            ‘Snowflake’
            Sarcastic comment about ‘Trigger warnings’
            ‘Isn’t X, just isn’t PC’.

            A friend of mine calls this ‘alt-right bingo’. Out of curiosity for my own mental associations (you’re UK, right?), what are your opinions on Brexit, Farage, Trump and Corbyn?

          2. I agree with notarealemail lets leave politics out of this, I prob shouldn’t have called someone a snowflake however I am def not Alt-right or even right wing for that matter.

  2. I’ve often noticed a mottled or splotchy pattern when hands feel inflamed or oddly hot.
    The patterning is usually something like a 3~5mm spot sized, camouflage style repetition.
    The other thing is it’s always more pronounced as you age.
    Being as this is anecdotal (40-odd years)observation, I can’t say if it correlates to any particular lifestyle or work.

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