Thermal Imaging in Symptomatic Superficial Venous Insufficiency
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the Role of Thermal Imaging in Patients with Symptomatic Superficial Venous Insufficiency
IRAS ID
338418
Contact name
Alun Davies
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
23CX8683, 1
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Superficial venous insufficiency is a type of chronic venous disease that can cause different symptoms to each individual patient. Typically, there are valves within the superficial vein system that help to pump blood from your legs, back to your heart. Sometimes, these valves are not working properly and blood will stay in the legs, manifesting as the different symptoms patients can have, including bulging veins, swelling of the legs and, in more severe disease, ulcers that can be difficult to heal.
Duplex ultrasound scanning uses high frequency sound waves to tell us about how blood is flowing and this can help us to see if the veins in the legs are working as they should and where any problems are.
Duplex ultrasound scanning is the current gold standard used to investigate for chronic venous disease, meaning this is what we should be using to diagnose this disease in our clinics. However, duplex ultrasound scanning is more costly, time intensive and requires trained personnel, all of which can delay the delivery of treatment because of the demand to the service.
Thermal imaging is a technique that uses pictures that show the heat patterns on the surface of your skin. If the veins in the legs are not functioning as they should, as is the case in chronic venous disease, this can change the heat patterns seen.
Thermal imaging offers many advantages when compared to duplex ultrasound screening. Thermal imaging is quicker, easier to use, painless and a non-invasive technique.
REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/PR/1168
Date of REC Opinion
30 Oct 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion