Patent ID: 7115098

Claim:
A thermal scanning system adapted to scan skin temperature on opposite sides of a patient's spinal column for patients of different sizes, the thermal scanning system comprising: a handheld body having a portion which is adapted to be gripped by a user at least when scanning; a plurality of temperature sensors oriented in a fixed position relative to said body, including a first sensor, a second sensor and a third sensor, wherein the sensors are mounted on the body and arranged in a linear fashion such that the first and second sensors are spaced to scan skin temperature on opposite sides of a patient's spinal column of a first size range, the second and third sensors are spaced to scan skin temperature on opposite sides of a patient's spinal column of a second size range, and the first and third sensors are spaced to scan skin temperature on opposite sides of a patient's spinal column of a third size range, wherein the size range defined between any two of the three temperature sensors is different from the size range between any other combination of two sensors, each sensor producing a data signal indicative of sensed temperatures; a computer receiving and processing the data signals received from two or more of the sensors; and a selector defining at least first, second and third operational modes for the thermal scanning system, wherein the computer in the first operational mode uses the data signals received from the first and second sensors to determine the skin temperature on opposite sides of a patient's spinal column, wherein the computer in the second operational mode uses the data signals received from the first and third sensors to determine the skin temperature on opposite sides of a patient's spinal column, and wherein the computer in the third operational mode uses the data signals received from the second and third sensors to determine the skin temperature on opposite sides of a patient's spinal column.