NEC Thermography Infrared Imaging Study

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease affecting the intestines of premature infants. It involves intestine swelling, tissue destruction, infection, and even death. Improved outcome is highly dependent on early recognition and treatment, however the signs and symptoms of NEC in early stages are not obvious making it difficult to diagnose. Abdominal x-rays and ultrasound can be non-specific and may not show signs of the disease until late in its course. Infrared imaging is a non-invasive, non-radiation method that can measure the heat given off of the surface of the body and create heat maps. It is being used clinically in other situations but is still under investigation for use in preterm infants with suspected NEC. Computer analysis of the measured heat maps can be used to detect changes in the intestine such as the swelling or tissue destruction involved in NEC. Our group has previously performed a pilot study that showed that infrared imaging on babies in the NICU can be used to create heat maps that are different between normal babies and those with NEC when analyzed using specialized computer programs. In this study the investigators will improve the imaging process by using special vision sensors to automate the imaging process and make it easier for bedside staff to use this technology. Special programs will be developed to automatically select areas of interest over which temperature maps will be analyzed. The investigators will use this new imaging technique to study a population of newborns diagnosed with definitive NEC and a healthy population of newborns without NEC, and compare the heat maps obtained from each group. From the analysis of the images obtained from these two populations, the investigators will determine the suitability and necessary fine-tuning of this new imaging technique with the hopes that this technology can someday aid in the early diagnosis of NEC.