Procedures for verifying thermal

calibration of an imager
What follows is a description of simple ways the thermal GAIN,
OFFSET, and FLATNESS of an imager can be checked without
sending it off to the calibration laboratory. If any of these tests indi-
cate that the imager is out of specification, then professional reca-
libration is essential. There is no way the imager can be adjusted
by the user. Contact the imager manufacturer for the best way to
accomplish calibration. Private companies can also recalibrate an
imager, but they may not be able to perform repairs if necessary,
creating more delay in returning a functioning and calibrated unit.
The contact and non-contact thermometers (NCTs) described
here are invaluable for quick-and-easy calibration verification
of infrared imagers, and they are always useful for checking
the temperatures of the thermography room, spot points on the
thermography subject, and any water baths used in the imaging
procedures. A serious thermography center should include both
contact and non-contact thermometers and keep them calibrated
to NIST standards. The electronic displays of the thermometers
should have a minimum resolution of 0.05�C (~0.1�F).
Measuring the imager thermal GAIN
This test should be performed in a proper thermographic environ-
ment without infrared heat sources such as sunlight or incandes-
cent lighting. Additionally, there should be minimal airflow and a
room temperature of about 21�C (70�F). This is the simplest, quick-
est, and least expensive way to validate the GAIN of a thermal
imager at physiologic temperatures via a two-point calibration.
Equipment Needed:
� A calibrated non-contact thermometer (NCT), thermopile
type; the unit should be at room temperature.