Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography, International Journal of Pain Research, Science Publishing Group

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Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography

Lu Zhenhe, Lu Yan^*

, Wu Shiming, Liu Jinfeng, Wan Li, Wu Dasheng, Xiong Donglin, Jia Heping, Duan Baolin, Yu Lingzhi, Shen Wen, Wang Yunxia, Liu Hui, Shi Kemei, Li Yimei

, Ma Minyu, Zhou Huacheng

, Tao Gaojian, Wang Dequan, Zhou Ling, Chen Jianping, Huang Suixiang, Shang Hongsheng

Published in International Journal of Pain Research (Volume 2, Issue 3)

Received: 29 August 2026 Accepted: 10 September 2026 Published: 27 September 2026

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Abstract

Medical infrared thermography (MIT), as a non?invasive functional imaging technique without ionizing radiation, can sensitively and timely detect subtle body-surface temperature changes triggered by physiological and pathological factors in human body. It can objectively reflect the functional status of soft tissues, internal organs, blood vessels and peripheral nerves, and help clinicians locate pain-related lesions and preliminarily judge their pathological properties, making up for the limitations of morphological imaging that mainly display structural abnormalities. This Chinese expert consensus summarizes domestic and international clinical research evidence and practical experience, and provides detailed, operable guidance for the clinical application of MIT, covering standardized examination procedures, image reading principles, differential analysis of thermal signals, and targeted application in various painful disorders. Starting from physiological normal thermal distribution characteristics of human body surface, this consensus conducts comprehensive analysis on the clinical significance of abnormally elevated and abnormally reduced thermal readings, sorts out common interference factors affecting image interpretation, and puts forward practical clinical recommendations for pain-related disease assessment, differential diagnosis and curative-effect follow-up. It aims to standardize clinical operation and interpretation behaviors of MIT, promote its rational clinical popularization, and provide objective imaging basis for auxiliary diagnosis and individualized treatment of pain related diseases.

Published in	International Journal of Pain Research (Volume 2, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20
Page(s)	182-189
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Medical Infrared Thermography, Human Body Temperature, Pain, Diagnosis, Expert Consensus

References

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APA Style

Zhenhe, L., Yan, L., Shiming, W., Jinfeng, L., Li, W., et al. (2026). Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography. International Journal of Pain Research, 2(3), 182-189. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20

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ACS Style

Zhenhe, L.; Yan, L.; Shiming, W.; Jinfeng, L.; Li, W., et al. Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography. . 2026, 2(3), 182-189. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20

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AMA Style

Zhenhe L, Yan L, Shiming W, Jinfeng L, Li W, et al. Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography. . 2026;2(3):182-189. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20

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@article{10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20,
  author = {Lu Zhenhe and Lu Yan and Wu Shiming and Liu Jinfeng and Wan Li and Wu Dasheng and Xiong Donglin and Jia Heping and Duan Baolin and Yu Lingzhi and Shen Wen and Wang Yunxia and Liu Hui and Shi Kemei and Li Yimei and Ma Minyu and Zhou Huacheng and Tao Gaojian and Wang Dequan and Zhou Ling and Chen Jianping and Huang Suixiang and Shang Hongsheng},
  title = {Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography},
  journal = {International Journal of Pain Research},
  volume = {2},
  number = {3},
  pages = {182-189},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijpr.20260203.20},
  abstract = {Medical infrared thermography (MIT), as a non?invasive functional imaging technique without ionizing radiation, can sensitively and timely detect subtle body-surface temperature changes triggered by physiological and pathological factors in human body. It can objectively reflect the functional status of soft tissues, internal organs, blood vessels and peripheral nerves, and help clinicians locate pain-related lesions and preliminarily judge their pathological properties, making up for the limitations of morphological imaging that mainly display structural abnormalities. This Chinese expert consensus summarizes domestic and international clinical research evidence and practical experience, and provides detailed, operable guidance for the clinical application of MIT, covering standardized examination procedures, image reading principles, differential analysis of thermal signals, and targeted application in various painful disorders. Starting from physiological normal thermal distribution characteristics of human body surface, this consensus conducts comprehensive analysis on the clinical significance of abnormally elevated and abnormally reduced thermal readings, sorts out common interference factors affecting image interpretation, and puts forward practical clinical recommendations for pain-related disease assessment, differential diagnosis and curative-effect follow-up. It aims to standardize clinical operation and interpretation behaviors of MIT, promote its rational clinical popularization, and provide objective imaging basis for auxiliary diagnosis and individualized treatment of pain related diseases.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography
AU  - Lu Zhenhe
AU  - Lu Yan
AU  - Wu Shiming
AU  - Liu Jinfeng
AU  - Wan Li
AU  - Wu Dasheng
AU  - Xiong Donglin
AU  - Jia Heping
AU  - Duan Baolin
AU  - Yu Lingzhi
AU  - Shen Wen
AU  - Wang Yunxia
AU  - Liu Hui
AU  - Shi Kemei
AU  - Li Yimei
AU  - Ma Minyu
AU  - Zhou Huacheng
AU  - Tao Gaojian
AU  - Wang Dequan
AU  - Zhou Ling
AU  - Chen Jianping
AU  - Huang Suixiang
AU  - Shang Hongsheng
Y1  - 2026/09/27
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20
T2  - International Journal of Pain Research
JF  - International Journal of Pain Research
JO  - International Journal of Pain Research
SP  - 182
EP  - 189
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 3070-1562
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20
AB  - Medical infrared thermography (MIT), as a non?invasive functional imaging technique without ionizing radiation, can sensitively and timely detect subtle body-surface temperature changes triggered by physiological and pathological factors in human body. It can objectively reflect the functional status of soft tissues, internal organs, blood vessels and peripheral nerves, and help clinicians locate pain-related lesions and preliminarily judge their pathological properties, making up for the limitations of morphological imaging that mainly display structural abnormalities. This Chinese expert consensus summarizes domestic and international clinical research evidence and practical experience, and provides detailed, operable guidance for the clinical application of MIT, covering standardized examination procedures, image reading principles, differential analysis of thermal signals, and targeted application in various painful disorders. Starting from physiological normal thermal distribution characteristics of human body surface, this consensus conducts comprehensive analysis on the clinical significance of abnormally elevated and abnormally reduced thermal readings, sorts out common interference factors affecting image interpretation, and puts forward practical clinical recommendations for pain-related disease assessment, differential diagnosis and curative-effect follow-up. It aims to standardize clinical operation and interpretation behaviors of MIT, promote its rational clinical popularization, and provide objective imaging basis for auxiliary diagnosis and individualized treatment of pain related diseases.
VL  - 2
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

Lu Zhenhe

Department of Painology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China

Contact Email
Lu Yan

Department of Painology, Xijing Hospital of The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2868-2352
Wu Shiming

Department of Pain and Rehabilitation, Xinqiao Hospital of Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
Liu Jinfeng

Department of Painology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
Wan Li

Department of Painology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
Wu Dasheng

Department of Painology, People's Hospital of Jilin Province, Changchun, China
Xiong Donglin

Department of Pain Medicine, Shenzhen Nanshan Hospital, Shenzhen, China
Jia Heping

Department of Painology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
Duan Baolin

Department of Pain Medicine, Suzhou Blue Cross Brain Hospital, Suzhou, China
Yu Lingzhi

Department of Painology, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
Shen Wen

Department of Pain Medicin, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
Wang Yunxia

Department of Pain Medicine, Hubei Third People's Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
Liu Hui

Department of Painology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
Shi Kemei

Department of Painology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
Li Yimei

Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1954-5903
Ma Minyu

Department of Painology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
Zhou Huacheng

Department of Painology, First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing China

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6506-5495
Tao Gaojian

Department of Pain Medicin, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
Wang Dequan

Department of Pain Management, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
Zhou Ling

Department of Painology, Fourth Hospital of Wuhan City, Wuhan, China
Chen Jianping

Department of Painology, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Taiyuan, China
Huang Suixiang

Department of Painology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
Shang Hongsheng

The Pain Diagnosis and Treatment Centre, Shenzhen Luohu Hospital Group, Shenzhen, China

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APA Style

Zhenhe, L., Yan, L., Shiming, W., Jinfeng, L., Li, W., et al. (2026). Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography. International Journal of Pain Research, 2(3), 182-189. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20

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Zhenhe, L.; Yan, L.; Shiming, W.; Jinfeng, L.; Li, W., et al. Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography. . 2026, 2(3), 182-189. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20

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AMA Style

Zhenhe L, Yan L, Shiming W, Jinfeng L, Li W, et al. Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography. . 2026;2(3):182-189. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20

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@article{10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20,
  author = {Lu Zhenhe and Lu Yan and Wu Shiming and Liu Jinfeng and Wan Li and Wu Dasheng and Xiong Donglin and Jia Heping and Duan Baolin and Yu Lingzhi and Shen Wen and Wang Yunxia and Liu Hui and Shi Kemei and Li Yimei and Ma Minyu and Zhou Huacheng and Tao Gaojian and Wang Dequan and Zhou Ling and Chen Jianping and Huang Suixiang and Shang Hongsheng},
  title = {Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography},
  journal = {International Journal of Pain Research},
  volume = {2},
  number = {3},
  pages = {182-189},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijpr.20260203.20},
  abstract = {Medical infrared thermography (MIT), as a non?invasive functional imaging technique without ionizing radiation, can sensitively and timely detect subtle body-surface temperature changes triggered by physiological and pathological factors in human body. It can objectively reflect the functional status of soft tissues, internal organs, blood vessels and peripheral nerves, and help clinicians locate pain-related lesions and preliminarily judge their pathological properties, making up for the limitations of morphological imaging that mainly display structural abnormalities. This Chinese expert consensus summarizes domestic and international clinical research evidence and practical experience, and provides detailed, operable guidance for the clinical application of MIT, covering standardized examination procedures, image reading principles, differential analysis of thermal signals, and targeted application in various painful disorders. Starting from physiological normal thermal distribution characteristics of human body surface, this consensus conducts comprehensive analysis on the clinical significance of abnormally elevated and abnormally reduced thermal readings, sorts out common interference factors affecting image interpretation, and puts forward practical clinical recommendations for pain-related disease assessment, differential diagnosis and curative-effect follow-up. It aims to standardize clinical operation and interpretation behaviors of MIT, promote its rational clinical popularization, and provide objective imaging basis for auxiliary diagnosis and individualized treatment of pain related diseases.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Consensus of Chinese Experts on the Clinical Application of Medical Infrared Thermography
AU  - Lu Zhenhe
AU  - Lu Yan
AU  - Wu Shiming
AU  - Liu Jinfeng
AU  - Wan Li
AU  - Wu Dasheng
AU  - Xiong Donglin
AU  - Jia Heping
AU  - Duan Baolin
AU  - Yu Lingzhi
AU  - Shen Wen
AU  - Wang Yunxia
AU  - Liu Hui
AU  - Shi Kemei
AU  - Li Yimei
AU  - Ma Minyu
AU  - Zhou Huacheng
AU  - Tao Gaojian
AU  - Wang Dequan
AU  - Zhou Ling
AU  - Chen Jianping
AU  - Huang Suixiang
AU  - Shang Hongsheng
Y1  - 2026/09/27
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20
T2  - International Journal of Pain Research
JF  - International Journal of Pain Research
JO  - International Journal of Pain Research
SP  - 182
EP  - 189
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 3070-1562
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpr.20260203.20
AB  - Medical infrared thermography (MIT), as a non?invasive functional imaging technique without ionizing radiation, can sensitively and timely detect subtle body-surface temperature changes triggered by physiological and pathological factors in human body. It can objectively reflect the functional status of soft tissues, internal organs, blood vessels and peripheral nerves, and help clinicians locate pain-related lesions and preliminarily judge their pathological properties, making up for the limitations of morphological imaging that mainly display structural abnormalities. This Chinese expert consensus summarizes domestic and international clinical research evidence and practical experience, and provides detailed, operable guidance for the clinical application of MIT, covering standardized examination procedures, image reading principles, differential analysis of thermal signals, and targeted application in various painful disorders. Starting from physiological normal thermal distribution characteristics of human body surface, this consensus conducts comprehensive analysis on the clinical significance of abnormally elevated and abnormally reduced thermal readings, sorts out common interference factors affecting image interpretation, and puts forward practical clinical recommendations for pain-related disease assessment, differential diagnosis and curative-effect follow-up. It aims to standardize clinical operation and interpretation behaviors of MIT, promote its rational clinical popularization, and provide objective imaging basis for auxiliary diagnosis and individualized treatment of pain related diseases.
VL  - 2
IS  - 3
ER  -

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