Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 1992 ; 17(1): 71-4.

[Preliminary observation of imaging of facial temperature along meridians]

Zhang D, Gao H, Wei Z, Wen B.

Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of TCM, Beijing.

Visualization of meridians has been carried out by means of infrared thermography and radionuclide scintigraphy, but real success was hardly achieved on some special regions including facial channels. In this paper, we would represent some imagings of thermal line along channels by means of infrared thermography. Distribution of the facial temperature in 139 cases of healthy volunteers and 305 cases of patients with facial paralysis was observed with model AGA-782 infrared thermovision and TC-800 computer. In all cases of patients and 15 cases of healthy persons, acupuncture test was conducted. Special program, DISCO3.1 was used to process the thermographic data and the results were as follows: 1. Facial thermal line along channel was presented in 95 out of 444 cases. High temperature line along bladder channel appeared in 34 cases of them; 2. In 26 out of 95 cases, the thermal line appeared after acupuncture, which could improve the imaging of the line; 3. The range of the temperature was within 1.3 degrees C, in some cases only 0.2-0.3 degrees C, with +/- 0.5-1.0 degrees C difference to surrounding temperature; the width of the line was 1-1.5 cm in most cases; 4. The line could appear stably, in some cases, last for several days, weeks or months; 5. Certain relationship between the appearing of the line and facial paralysis was found. As mentioned above, the thermal characteristics of meridians in face could be visualized by means of infrared thermography, the special imaging of facial temperature along bladder meridian was easily found, related to facial troubles and promoted by acupuncture.