Using a thermal camera for detection of arthritis

A system for determining a presence of arthritis in a patient, comprising:

• a first camera configured to obtain a first image of a patient's joint, wherein the first image is a visible light image;
• a second camera configured to obtain a second image of the patient's joint, wherein the second image is a thermal light image;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the first and second camera, wherein the processor is configured for:
• identifying a first reference point of the patient;
• identifying a second reference point of the patient;
• dividing an area between a first joint and a second joint into a plurality of parts, wherein each part of the plurality of parts are equal in size;
• reflecting a first part of the plurality of parts along a line at the first reference point;
• combining the first part and a reflected first part into a contiguous area;
• assigning the contiguous area as the patient's joint;
• defining an outline of the contiguous area as the outline of the patient's joint;
• determining an outline of a reference area from the image, wherein the patient's joint is adjacent to the reference area;
• determining a first representative topological temperature within the outline of the patient's joint;
• determining a second representative topological temperature within the outline of the reference area;
• comparing the first representative topological temperature and the second representative topological temperature;
• and
• determining a likelihood of the presence of arthritis within the patient's joint based on comparing the first representative topological temperature and the second representative topological temperature.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform one or more steps for detection of arthritic symptoms using visible light and thermal light images, comprising:

• obtaining a first image of a patient's joint, wherein the first image is a visible light image;
• obtaining a second image of the patient's joint, wherein the second image is a thermal light image;
• identifying a first reference point of the patient;
• identifying a second reference point of the patient;
• dividing an area between the first joint and the second joint into a plurality of parts, wherein each part of the plurality of parts are equal in size;
• reflecting a first part of the plurality of parts along a line at the first reference point;
• combining the first part and a reflected first part into a contiguous area;
• assigning the contiguous area as the patient's joint;
• defining an outline of the contiguous area as the outline of the patient's joint;
• determining an outline of a reference area from the first image, wherein the patient's joint is adjacent to the reference area;
• determining a first representative topological temperature within the outline of the patient's joint of the first image from the second image;
• determining a second representative topological temperature within the outline of the reference area of the first image from the second image;
• comparing the first representative topological temperature and the second representative topological temperature;
• and
• determining a likelihood of the presence of arthritis within the patient's joint based on comparing the first representative topological temperature and the second representative topological temperature.