Bell面瘫是一种多发的面神经疾病, 首次发病以轻中度居多。 应用红外热成像原理, 探寻一种客观无创的Bell面瘫评估方法。 人体面部穴位大都呈左右对称分布, 取患者病变一侧的相关穴位为实验组, 另一侧同一穴位为对照组, 分别研究其红外热辐射特性, 急性期内, 同一穴位在健侧与患侧的红外热辐射强度差异显著, 即存在明显的温差(大于0.3 ℃)。 在红外热像上, 患侧的穴位与其周边组织形成一个不规则的辐射异常区, 伪彩色化后的色彩与健侧对比鲜明。 同时, 病变程度越重, 同一穴位两侧的温差越大。 其中颧髎、 地仓、 颊车、 鱼腰、 阳白五个穴位的双侧温差与面瘫的病变程度正相关, 分别为0.676, 0.498, 0.506, 0.545, 0.518, P<0.05, 有统计学意义。 由此可见, 红外热像可以用于客观评估Bell面瘫的病变程度。

Bell’s palsy is a kind of facial nerve diseases with a high incidence, and the patients who get the disease the first time predominate in the patients who suffer mildly or moderately. The aim of the present study is to explore a novel assessment for Bell’s palsy objectively and noninvasively based on infrared thermal image. As the acupoints on the face are approximately bilateral symmetric, the acupoints on the affected side were chosen as the experimental group, while the same ones on the other side as the control group. Their infrared thermal radiations were researched separately and the results were as follows: on acute stage, the differences of infrared thermal radiation intensity of the same points were significant between the healthy and affected sides, indicating significant temperature difference (over 0.3 ℃). The acupoints on the affected side with its surrounding tissue formed an irregular abnormal region on the infrared thermal image. Its pseudocolor was obviously different from that of the healthy side. At the same time, the more serious the Bell’s palsy, the more evident the temperature differences of the same acupoints on bilateral sides. It was positive correlation (r=0.676, r=0.498, r=0.506, r=0.545, r=0.518, all P<0.05) between the bilateral temperature differences of acupoints (Quanliao, Dicang, Jiache, Yuyao, Yangbai) and the lesions degree of Bell’ palsy, which was statistically significant. Thus, infrared thermal image could be used to objectively assess the severity of Bell’ palsy.