CONTACT THERMO-OPTICAL STRUCTURE AND ITS APPLICATION FOR NON-INVASIVE IMAGING OF HISTAMINE-INDUCED HYPERTHERMAL SUBCUTANEOUS REACTION MAGNITUDE IN CUTANEOUS ALLERGIC REACTION, RECORDING DEVICE AND METHOD OF ALLERGIC REACTION DIAGNOSIS

摘要

The object of the invention is a passive planar thermo-optical structure for detection of a region of changed temperature on patient's skin, comprising a thermoactive dye. The thermo-optical structure according to the invention has a layered structure comprising a transparent film layer (102), a thermochromic layer (103), a securing layer (105), an adhesive layer (106), and a protective layer (107). At least a portion of surface of the transparent layer (102) forms a screen (102a). At least one dye in the thermochromic layer is characterised in that above a temperature threshold having value within the range of 31 °C to 37 °C it adopts the first colour and keeps it in a temperature range greater than or equal to 0.6 °C, and the width of the temperature range, in which the colour is indefinite, is smaller than 0.3 °C. Further, the object of the invention is an application of the thermo-optical detector according to any of claims 1 to 20 for the evaluation of the extent of skin allergic reaction. Further, the object of the invention is a recording device comprising a central unit (211), a housing (203) adapted to separate a region of patient's skin from ambient light, a digital camera (218) for acquisition of colours displayed on a thermo-optical structure according to the invention adhered to patient's skin, characterised in that it is provided with ambient temperature measuring means (216) and with patient's skin temperature measuring means (207), connected to the central unit, and a standardized light source for illuminating a thermo-optical structure. A method of diagnosing allergy according to the invention comprises the steps of stimulation, measurement and comparison. The stimulation step includes at least exposition of a first region of patient's skin to a histamine solution, exposition of a second region of patient's skin to a neutral solution and exposition of a third region of patient's skin to a test substance. In the measurement step the evaluation of the extent of histamine reaction at least in the first, the second, and the third region is performed. In the comparison step the extent of histamine reaction in the third region is compared to the extents of histamine reaction in the first region and in the second region. According to the invention, in the measurement step at least one system according to the invention is used, which is applied on patient's skin in the first, the second and the third region. The evaluation of the extent of histamine reaction in the first, the second, and the third region is done based on the extent of the change in colour of the thermo-optical structure, corresponding to the first, the second, and the third region, respectively.