EVALUATION OF SERIAL APPLICATION OF CAPILLAROSCOPY, PHOTOPLETHYSMOGRAPHY, AND DERMOTHERMOMETRY IN DIAGNOSIS AND PREVENTION OF RADIOLESIONS OF PERIPHERAL MICROVESSELS

This study was performed with the aim of evaluating the justifiability of serial application of nailfold capillaroscopy, digital dermothermo metry and digital photoplethysmography in the diagnosis of vascular ra diolesions in subjects occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation. T hirty-eight exposed examinees, as well as 30 control persons, were inc luded in the study. In order to establish the condition of the periphe ral blood flow, each subject was examined by all the three methods. Th e results of this work and their statistical evaluation showed the nai lfold capillaroscopy and digital dermothermometry to be the most suita ble combination of methods for detection of initial changes on the sma llest skin blood vessels, subsequent to skin irradiation, while the us e of photoplethysmography should be limited to such cases where altera tions of digital arteriolas are expected. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc .