Thermographic findings of spinal cord tumors

We analyzed IR thermographies of 137 spinal cord tumor patients. Thermography (+) with level correlation was 67.8%, symptom correlation was found 28.8% with local pain, 81.1% with radiculopathy. Myelopathy (+) thermography was 71.9% in cervical level, 61.5 % in thoracic, 75.6% with para(quadri)paresis and over 100% with Brown-Sequard syndrome. For the extradural or IDEM tumors, thermography represented the thermatomal demarcation in the dermatome and below well for myelopathy patients. In the intramedullary tumors, thermography frequently showed negative findings. Thermatomal hypothermia is a useful landmark for the differential diagnosis of schwannoma and meningioma or cauda equina and conus medullaris tumor also.