Thermal imaging study as a method of diagnostic of vibration disease in industrial workers in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation

Occupational and production-related morbidity of workers engaged in the extraction and processing of minerals in the regions of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation occupies one of the leading places in the main industries. The introduction and use of modern technologies in medicine has created the possibility of a significant improvement in the diagnosis of occupational diseases. One of the additional diagnostic methods as a part of the comprehensive diagnosis of peripheral neurovascular disorders of occupational genesis, which have become part of practical medicine, is thermal imaging. The purpose of the study is to present thermal imaging diagnostics as one of the methods of objectifying the diagnosis of vibration desease in workers of the industrial complex of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. In the structure of occupational diseases, starting from 2016-2018, vibration disease occupies one of the leading places, accounting for 16.4 %, and its share in the structure increases to 30.6 % in 2022-2024. In the inpatient conditions of the occupational pathology clinic, thermographic examinations has been carried out for 91 patients of the main group (drillers, tunnelers) and 33 patients of the control group (blasters, electric and gas welders). Vibration disease with peripheral angiodystonic syndrome in combination with polyradicular disorders is noted in all patients of the main group. A detailed analysis of the thermographic examination of the patients of the study group indicates that in 100 % of cases, a decrease in infrared radiation is noted on the thermograms of the hands, and in 48 % of the examined, thermal asymmetry of infrared radiation is revealed, regardless of the degree of clinical manifestations. The expediency of using the thermal imaging method in occupational medicine for the diagnosis of the initial manifestations of neurosensory disorders, as well as in the objectification of the degree of clinical manifestations in vibration disease in workers of vibration-hazardous professions is beyond doubt.