Infrared tympanic thermometers (ITTs) are easy to use and have a quick response time. They are widely used for temperature measurement of the human body. The accuracy and uncertainty of measurement is the importance performance indicator for these meters. The performance of two infrared tympanic thermometers, Braun THT-3020 and OMRON MC-510, were evaluated in this study. The cell of a temperature calibrator was modified to serve as the standard temperature of the blackbody. The errors of measurement for the two meters were reduced by the calibration equation. The predictive values could meet the requirements of the ASTM standard. The sources of uncertainty include the standard deviations of replication at fixed temperature or the predicted values of calibration equation, reference standard values and resolution. The uncertainty analysis shows that the uncertainty of calibration equation is the main source for combined uncertainty. Ambient temperature did not have the significant effects on the measured performance. The calibration equations could improve the accuracy of ITTs. However, these equations did not improve the uncertainty of ITTs.
References
[1]
McCarthy, P.W.; Heusch, A.I. The vagaries of ear temperature assessment. J. Med. Eng. Tech?2006, 30, 242–251.
[2]
Cascetta, F. An evaluation of the performance of an infrared tympanic thermometer. Measurement?1995, 16, 239–246.
[3]
Pusnik, I.; Simpson, R.; Drnovsek, J. Bilateral comparison of blackbody cavities for calibration of infrared ear thermometers between NPL and FE/LMK. Physiol. Meas?2004, 25, 1239–1247.
[4]
Dodd, S.R.; Lancaster, G. A.; Craig, J.V. In a systematic review, infrared ear thermometry for fever diagnosis in children finds poor sensitivity. J. Clin. Epidemiol?2006, 59, 354–257.
[5]
Craig, J.V.; Lancaster, G.A.; Taylor, S. Infrared ear thermometry compared with rectal thermometry in children: a systematic review. Lancet?2002, 360, 603–609.
[6]
Kistemaker, J.A.; Den Hartog, E.A.; Daanen, H.A.M. Reliability of an infrared forehead skin thermometer for core temperature measurements. J. Med. Eng. Tech?2006, 30, 252–261.
[7]
Kocoglu, H.; Goksu, S.; Isik, M. Infrared tympanic thermometer can accurately measure the body temperature in children in an emergency room setting. Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol?2002, 65, 39–43.
[8]
Rosenthal, H.M.; Leslie, A. Measuring temperature of NICU patients – A comparison of three devices. J. Neonatal Nurs?2006, 12, 125–129.
[9]
Stavem, K.; Saxholm, H.; Smith-Erichsen, N. Accuracy of infrared ear thermometry in adult patients. Intensive Care Med?1997, 23, 100–105.
[10]
Heusch, A.I.; Suresh, V.; McCarthy, P.W. The effect of factors such as handedness, sex and age on body temperature measured by an infrared ‘tympanic’ thermometer. J. Med. Eng. Tech?2006, 30, 235–241.
[11]
Pusnik, I.; Drnovsek, J. Infrared ear thermometers-parameters influencing their reading and accuracy. Physiol. Meas?2005, 26, 1057–1084.
[12]
Pusnik, I.; van der Ham, E.; Drnovsek, J. IR ear thermometers: what do they measure and how do they comply with the EU technical regulation. Physiol. Meas?2004, 25, 699–708.
[13]
Simpson, R.; Machin, G.; McEvoy, H. Traceability and calibration in temperature measurement: a clinical necessary. J. Med. Eng. Tech?2006, 30, 212–217.
[14]
International Organization for Standardization. Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement; ISO: Geneva, Switzerland, 1993.
Mohamed, M.I.; Aggag, G.A. Uncertainty evaluation of shore hardness testers. Measurement?2003, 33, 251–257.
[17]
Fisicano, P.; Adriaens, A.; Ferrara, E. Assessment of the uncertainty budget for the amperometric measurement of dissolved oxygen. Anal. Chim. Acta?2007, 597, 75–81.
[18]
Chen, C. Evaluation of measurement uncertainty for thermometers with calibration equations. Accredit. Qual. Assur?2006, 11, 75–82.
[19]
Lu, H.; Chen, C. Uncertainty evaluation of humidity sensors calibrated by saturated salt solutions. Measurement?2007, 40, 591–599.
[20]
Nicholas, J.V.; White, D.R. Radiation Thermometry Traceable Temperature, 1st ed; Sudenham, P.H., Sussex, T.W., Eds.; John Willey and Sons: Chichester, West Sussex, UK, 1994; pp. 283–326.
[21]
Myers, R.H. Classical and Modern Regression with Application, 2nd ed ed.; PWS and Kent Publishing: Boston, MA, USA, 1996.
[22]
Bruggemann, L.; Wennrich, R. Evaluation of measurement uncertainty for analytical procedures using a linear calibration function. Accredit. Qual. Assur?2002, 7, 269–273.
[23]
Krutchkoff, R.G. Classical and inverse regression methods of calibration. Technometrics?1967, 9, 25–439.
[24]
Grientschnig, D. Relationship between prediction errors of inverse and classical calibration. Fresenius J. Anal. Chem?2000, 367, 491–498.
[25]
Tellinghuisen, J. Inverse vs. classical calibration for small data sets. Fresenius J. Anal. Chem?2000, 368, 585–588.
[26]
Chen, C. Uncertainty evaluation of conductance moisture meters for rough rice. Biosys. Eng?2008, 99, 508–514.