IR temperature study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Infra-Red Temperature Measurement Accuracy - A pilot study to evaluate the accuracy of IR thermometers and to determine the optimal measurement site for IR thermometers.
IRAS ID
290548
Contact name
Vijay Jayagopal
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
York Teaching Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
A key measurement in identifying and isolating an individual at risk of having Covid-19 - or any other infection - is a raised temperature. It determines which tests to perform and which treatments to provide (for eg, antibiotics and intravenous fluids to treat sepsis). Accuracy of measurement of temperature is therefore critical in saving lives.
The NHS has recently introduced IR thermometers to replace previous ‘in-ear’ or tympanic thermometers, thus limiting the contact time of staff with patients.
There is, however, scant evidence in the scientific literature of these devices being adequately tested. Nor is best practice established in how to train staff to use these devices. Finally, there is no evidence of the affects - if any - on these devices of individual skin types, conditions, and treatments (ointments or cosmetics).
This ignorance about the IR thermometer is potentially of international significance in our efforts to combat Covid-19.
We will devise - with collaborators from the University of York Medical Engineering Programme - a testing process to assess the accuracy and reproducibility of the IR thermometer, as well as the optimal site and distance to measure temperature with it. We will compare this with the gold-standard temperature test of the 3M ‘SpotOn’ system. We will also compare the more commonly used ‘in ear’ system with the SpotOn system.
We will, in addition, establish whether or not the skin colour of an individual, and their skin treatments, will create differences in measurements that need to be considered when using IR machines to test temperature.
We will recruit 90 healthy adults who give written informed consent to have their measurements taken. Recruitment will occur at York Teaching Hospital and The University of York.
We will complete this analysis within two months and produce a standardised training schedule for immediate use.
REC name
N/A
REC reference
N/A