A needle is guided to that area via ultrasound, and anti-inflammatory drugs are injected to reduce the size and pressure of the fibrous tissue. Fortunato returns to the dressage ring with a more supple neck and a less preoccupied rider. These case studies are two of many that have resulted from the use of thermography in equine veterinary diagnostics. While the technology has been around since the 1960s, its clinical application has taken leaps and bounds in the past few years. The concept is simple.
All objects give off heat.
Some inanimate objects like rocks and fences may only give off heat that is reflected from the sun. Other inanimate objects like motors and radios give off heat generated by electricity or other power sources. Trees, plants and other objects give off heat produced by internal chemical processes, and animals add muscular energy to the amount of heat produced. Thermal cameras use sensitive infrared detectors to measure this heat, and the video camera produces an image that is easily recognizable. Earlier cameras were very bulky and needed a large computer to run them.