Infrared (IR) imaging is a collection of non-invasive imaging techniques that utilize the IR domain of the electromagnetic spectrum for tissue assessment. A subset of these techniques construct images using back reflected light, while other techniques rely on detection of IR radiation emitted by the tissue as a result of its temperature. Modern IR detectors sense thermal emissions and produce a heat map of surface temperature distribution in tissues. Thus, the IR spectrum offers a variety of imaging applications particularly useful in clinical diagnostic area, ranging from high-resolution, depth-resolved visualization of tissue to temperature variation assessment. These techniques have been helpful in the diagnosis of many medical conditions including skin/ breast cancer, arthritis, allergy, burns, and others. In this review, we discuss current roles of IR-imaging techniques for diagnostic applications in dermatology with an emphasis on skin cancer, allergies, blisters, burns and wounds.

Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO or Devic’s syndrome) is a rare demyelinating disease of the CNS that predominantly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves and shares many clinical and radiological features with multiple sclerosis. We report a case regarding a 53 year old woman who was admitted initially with hiccups and paraesthesias but was not evaluated during first 2 episodes and presented with severe progression of NMO. NMO was diagnosed with Seropositivity for NMO-IgG and longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions (3 or more spinal segments).