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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Zofia Drzazga

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Guest Editor

Department of Medical Physics, University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
Interests: fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism measurements; thermal imaging in medicine and sports; microspectroscopy; microcalorimetry measurements; magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, rsfMRI, DWI) in medicine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The importance of using non-invasive imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and infrared thermography (IRT) is increasing in clinical and sports medicine. Recently, research has focused on the rest state fMRI (RsMRI) since it represents a promising and cost effective alternative to task-based fMRI for scientific needs as well as medical practice. Cognitive dysfunction and physical disability can be reflected in various RsfMRI patterns. The potential application of pattern classification of RsfMRI in diagnosis of neurological and psychiatric diseases as well as in neurosurgery is promising. However, characterization of functional connectivity requires further improvement of pre- and post-processing approaches. IRT is a rapid emerging technique for the assessment of skin temperature which requires no direct contact with the individual. This method is frequently used in the field of physical activity to screening individual muscles to find overloads, injuries, and athletic recovery. It is also useful for effective detection of skin heating, including hyperthermia for cancer therapy or cooling (cryotherapy) and for the study of peripheral vascular disorders. Thermal mapping allows the analysis of physiological and pathophysiological reactions related to the control of the skin temperature.

In this Special Issue, submissions exploring the innovative research in non-invasive imaging for medicine and sports are invited.

Prof. Dr. Zofia Drzazga
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

imaging
brain
skin temperature
medicine
sports

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 5321 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Football Juggling Learning Alters the Working Memory and White Matter Integrity in Early Adulthood: A Randomized Controlled Study

by Yifan Shi, Kelong Cai, Hao Zhu, Xiaoxiao Dong, Xuan Xiong, Lina Zhu, Zhiyuan Sun and Aiguo Chen

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(9), 3843; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11093843 - 23 Apr 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2585

Abstract

Cross-sectional studies suggest that motor skill learning is associated with working memory (WM) and white matter integrity (WMI). However, it has not been established whether motor skill learning improves WM performance, and information on its neural mechanisms have not been clearly elucidated. Therefore, this study compared WM and WMI across time points prior to and following football juggling learning, in early adulthood (18–20 years old), relative to a control group. Study participants in the experimental group were subjected to football juggling for 10 weeks while participants in the control category went on with their routine life activities for the same period of time and were not involved in the learning-related activities. Data on cognitive measurements and that from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were collected before and after learning. There was a significant improvement in WM performance of the experimental group after motor learning, although no improvement was observed in the control group. Additionally, after learning, DTI data revealed a significant increase in functional anisotropy (FA) in the genu of corpus callosum (GOCC) and the right anterior corona radiata (R.ACR) in the experimental group. Moreover, the better WM associated with football juggling learning was correlated to a higher FA. Mediation analysis suggested that FA in the GOCC acts as a mediation variable between football juggling learning and WM. These findings show that motor skill learning improves the WM and remodels WMI in early adulthood. With a particular emphasis on the importance of WMI in motor skill learning and WM, this study also revealed the possible neural mechanisms mediated by WMI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Trends in Imaging Techniques in Medicine and Sports)

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Review

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19 pages, 594 KiB

Open AccessReview

Infrared Thermography as a Non-Invasive Tool in Musculoskeletal Disease Rehabilitation—The Control Variables in Applicability—A Systematic Review

by Anna Lubkowska and Waldemar Pluta

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4302; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12094302 - 24 Apr 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3131

Abstract

In recent years, the usefulness of infrared thermography (IRT) as a valuable supplementary imaging method in medical diagnostics, as well as for assessing the effects of the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, has been increasingly confirmed. At the same time, great importance is attached to the standards of thermographic research, the fulfillment of which determines the correct methodology and interpretation of the results. This article discusses the medical applications of infrared thermography in musculoskeletal system diseases, with particular emphasis on its usefulness in assessing the therapeutic effects of physical treatments used in rehabilitation. The literature from the last decade that is available in the Medline and Web of Science databases has been reviewed. Among the physiotherapeutic methods used, the following were selected that directly affect the musculoskeletal system: cryotherapy, laser therapy, electrotherapy, diathermy, and massage. The article summarizes all the guidelines and recommendations for IR imaging in medicine and rehabilitation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Trends in Imaging Techniques in Medicine and Sports)

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