Speaker
Description
Introduction. The increasing demands of human space missions require non-invasive and autonomous health-monitoring technologies suitable for extreme environments. Quantitative infrared thermography (QIRT) is a promising tool for space medicine, providing contactless, real-time assessment of skin temperature and physiologically relevant information related to microcirculation, inflammation, body fluid shifts, metabolic activity and thermoregulation.
Methods. This scoping review and perspective explores the current and future role of QIRT in space medicine, with a focus on simulated microgravity and long-duration missions. Following PRISMA guidelines, 2,461 records were identified from PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar; 63 studies were screened in full and, based on predefined eligibility criteria, only five human studies employing QIRT in real or simulated space environments were included.
Results. All included studies used infrared thermography to assess skin temperature as an indirect indicator of fluid shifts, with or without complementary sensors (e.g., thermistors and core temperature pills). One study demonstrated the feasibility of IRT during parabolic flights1, showing gravity-dependent changes in peripheral skin temperature. Other studies conducted during bed rest and head-down tilt reported altered regional skin temperature distributions consistent with blood and fluid redistribution under simulated microgravity, supporting IRT as a potential tool to investigate spaceflight-related fluid shift phenomena2-5.
Authors’ comment. Building on this limited body of evidence, the application of infrared thermography (IRT) in space medicine may require additional implementation guidelines. For instance, in bed-rest analogues, prolonged mattress contact and continuous skin pressure may affect thermogram accuracy. In such conditions, placing a blackbody reference beneath the region of interest could improve calibration; however, this must be balanced against the potential burden and stress of repeated measurements on participants. Existing IRT guidelines should therefore be adapted to the specific constraints of bed-rest study designs.
Recent unpublished findings further support the use of IRT in spaceflight analogues to monitor fluid redistribution and, when exercise countermeasures are implemented, to assess muscle temperature and fluid dynamics. Consistent with applications in sport science, IRT may also enable early detection of musculoskeletal injury risk, as localized temperature elevations often precede clinical symptoms and the need for more complex imaging such as MRI or X-ray. This capability is particularly valuable in spaceflight, where rapid, non-invasive tools for injury surveillance are critical for astronaut health.
Conclusion. Future space-analogue investigations should consider incorporating infrared thermography (IRT) as part of baseline physiological monitoring, while further validating its reliability and operational feasibility. In parallel, space agencies may explore the potential integration of IRT aboard the International Space Station as a complementary, non-invasive screening tool for astronaut health, pending additional evidence and standardization of measurement protocols.
Acknowledgements. This work was supported by the Slovene Research and Innovation Agency programme grant no. P2-0076.
