Abstract: Objective To explore the evaluation on the curative effect of digital subtraction angiography (DSA)-guided radiofrequency ablation in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) based on infrared thermal imaging technology.Methods A total of 90 patients with LDH treated in the hospital were enrolled as the research objects between February 2019 and February 2022.According to different treatment methods,they were divided into observation group (n=45) and control group (n=45).The control group was treated with radiofrequency ablation,while observation group was treated with DSA-guided radiofrequency ablation.The scores of visual analogue scale (VAS),Oswestry disability index (ODI) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA),and levels of serologic indexes [interleukin-1β (IL-1β),interleukin-6 (IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] were compared between the two groups before treatment and at 1 month and 3 months after treatment.The skin temperature of lesions was detected by infrared thermal imaging,and its correlation with VAS,ODI and JOA scores was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis.Results Before treatment,there was no significant difference in VAS score between the two groups (P>0.05).At 1 month and 3 months after treatment,VAS scores in both groups were decreased,which were lower in observation group than control group (P＜0.05).Before treatment,there was no significant difference in ODI and JOA scores between the two groups (P>0.05).At 1 month and 3 months after treatment,ODI scores in both groups were decreased,which were lower in observation group than control group,while JOA scores were increased,which were higher in observation group than control group (P＜0.05).Before treatment,there was no significant difference in levels of serum IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α between the two groups (P>0.05).At 1 month and 3 months after treatment,levels of serum IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α in both groups were decreased,which were lower in observation group than control group (P＜0.05).Before treatment,there was no significant difference in skin temperature of lesions between the two groups (P>0.05).At 1 month and 3 months after treatment,skin temperature of lesions in both groups was decreased,which was lower in observation group than control group (P＜0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that skin temperature of lesions was positively correlated with VAS,ODI and JOA scores at 1 month and 3 months after treatment (r=0.455,0.502,0.523,0.675,0.659,0.611,P＜0.05).Conclusion Curative effect of DSA-guided radiofrequency ablation is good on LDH patients,and infrared thermal imaging can effectively evaluate the curative effect.

Key words: lumbar disc herniation；digital subtraction angiography；radiofrequency lumbar disc herniation；infrared thermal imaging；feasibility analysis