PMC7569066_01
(A) Photograph of the imaging equipment set up to allow simultaneous imaging, showing laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) and infrared thermography (IT). (B) Photograph of the cutaneous innervation of the distal upper limb, showing the regions of interest. ROIs, regions of interest performed on the nail bed; rois, regions of interest on skin just proximal to the fingers. (C) Procedure flow chart.
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The procedure flow chart is shown in Figure 1C. The patient's hands were put on a thermally insulated surface, approximately 45 cm away from the thermal camera and 30 cm vertically away from the LSCI camera (Figure 1A). A(roi), region on the skin just proximal to the fingers on the blocked side (Figure 1B). The patient's symptoms were also recorded after each image was obtained (Figures 1C and 3).
Ultrasound images for the C7 and C6 selective nerve blocks, the needle direction shown by the arrow. (A) C7 selective nerve block. (B) C6 selective nerve block. VA, vertebral artery; C7, the seventh cervical nerve root; C7P, posterior tubercle of the seventh cervical transverse process; C6A, anterior tubercle of the sixth cervical transverse process; C6, the sixth cervical nerve root; C6P, posterior tubercle of the sixth cervical transverse process.
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Depending on only this sonography feature, the seventh spinal level was readily distinguished from those of the upper consecutive vertebras (Figure 2A). Then, moving the probe cranially, it was easy to visualize the transverse process of the sixth cervical vertebra with its characteristic sharp anterior tubercle and posterior tubercles (Figure 2B).
Two series of typical diagrams imaged by laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) and infrared thermography (IT), respectively. (A) Dorsal hands imaged by the LSCI at baseline, after C7 nerve block, after C6 nerve block. (B) Dorsal hands imaged by the IT at baseline, after C7 nerve block, after C6 nerve block.
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The patient's symptoms were also recorded after each image was obtained (Figures 1C and 3).