System and method for identifying and classifying dynamic thermodynamic processes in mammals and discriminating between and among such processes

Abstract

An infrared imaging camera () acquires a plurality of frames () of infrared radiation from a patient (P) positioned in a field-of-view () of the camera (). Each frame () is acquired during a corresponding frame sample interval and each frame () corresponds to the infrared radiation acquired from an array of optical elements () in the field-of-view () during its frame sample interval. Plural integrals are determined from infrared radiation received from the array of optical elements (), with each integral corresponding to the infrared radiation received from the same optical element () in at least two frames (). Each integral is mapped to a color or a shade of gray and the color or shade of gray of each integral is mapped to a position in an image corresponding to the position of the corresponding optical element () in the field-of-view (). The camera () can be used for early detection of neoplastic disease process, detection of angiogenesis and/or identification of treatment sites for pain management therapeutic modalities.