Kevin Howell

Clinical Scientist (Rheumatology)

Research area

Microvascular imaging, infrared thermography, nailfold capillaroscopy, connective tissue diseases, Raynaud's phenomenon, thermoregulation.

Research programme

• Immune regulation

Research summary

The Institute's Microvascular Diagnostics laboratory was established to give clinicians and researchers a "window" on the microcirculation in autoimmune and other disorders. Our key research interests are Raynaud's phenomenon and the scleroderma spectrum disorders. We typically see around 500 patients per year to assist in clinical diagnosis, and we support research where skin temperature or change in the microvasculature would be an interesting outcome measure.

Microvascular Diagnostics has gained particular expertise in infrared thermography: the laboratory has two thermal imagers and I sit on the board of the European Association of Thermology. The Medical Infrared Thermography London forum (or "MIRTL") arranges seminars at the Institute, and we can support thermographers in London with our quality assurance programme for thermal imagers used in biomedicine.

Publications

Selected publications

• Mura S, Fin A, Parodi PC, Denton CP, Howell KJ, Rampino Cordaro E. Autologous fat transfer in the successful treatment of upper limb linear morphoea. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2018. 36 Suppl 113(4):183.
• Wilkinson JD, Leggett SA, Marjanovic EJ, Moore TL, Allen J, Anderson ME, Britton J, Buch MH, Del Galdo F, Denton CP, Dinsdale G, Griffiths B, Hall F, Howell K, MacDonald A, McHugh NJ, Manning JB, Pauling JD, Roberts C, Shipley JA, Herrick AL, Murray AK. A Multicenter Study of the Validity and Reliability of Responses to Hand Cold Challenge as Measured by Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging and Thermography: Outcome Measures for Systemic Sclerosis-Related Raynaud's Phenomenon. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2018. 70(6):903-911.
• Dinsdale G, Peytrignet S, Moore T, Berks M, Roberts C, Manning J, Allen J, Anderson M, Cutolo M, Hesselstrand R, Howell K, Pizzorni C, Smith V, Sulli A, Wildt M, Taylor C, Murray A, Herrick AL. The assessment of nailfold capillaries: comparison of dermoscopy and nailfold videocapillaroscopy. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2018. 57(6):1115-1116.
• Moreira DG, Costello JT, Brito CJ, Adamczyk JG, Ammer K, Bach AJE, Costa CMA, Eglin C, Fernandes AA, Fernández-Cuevas I, Ferreira JJA, Formenti D, Fournet D, Havenith G, Howell K, Jung A, Kenny GP, Kolosovas-Machuca ES, Maley MJ, Merla A, Pascoe DD, Priego Quesada JI, Schwartz RG, Seixas ARD, Selfe J, Vainer BG, Sillero-Quintana M. Thermographic imaging in sports and exercise medicine: A Delphi study and consensus statement on the measurement of human skin temperature. J Therm Biol. 2017. 69:155-162.
• Dinsdale G, Moore T, O'Leary N, Berks M, Roberts C, Manning J, Allen J, Anderson M, Cutolo M, Hesselstrand R, Howell K, Pizzorni C, Smith V, Sulli A, Wildt M, Taylor C, Murray A, Herrick AL. Quantitative outcome measures for systemic sclerosis-related Microangiopathy - Reliability of image acquisition in Nailfold Capillaroscopy. Microvasc Res. 2017. 113:56-59.
• Soroko M, Howell K, Dudek K. The effect of ambient temperature on infrared thermographic images of joints in the distal forelimbs of healthy racehorses. J Therm Biol. 2017. 66:63-67.
• Dinsdale G, Moore T, O'Leary N, Tresadern P, Berks M, Roberts C, Manning J, Allen J, Anderson M, Cutolo M, Hesselstrand R, Howell K, Pizzorni C, Smith V, Sulli A, Wildt M, Taylor C, Murray A, Herrick AL. Intra-and inter-observer reliability of nailfold videocapillaroscopy - A possible outcome measure for systemic sclerosis-related microangiopathy. Microvasc Res. 2017. 112:1-6.
• Parker LK, Ponte C, Howell KJ, Ong VH, Denton CP, Schreiber BE. Clinical features and management of erythromelalgia: long term follow-up of 46 cases. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2017. 35(1):80-84.
• Soroko M, Howell K, Dudek K, Henklewski R, Zielińska P. The influence of breed, age, gender, training level and ambient temperature on forelimb and back temperature in racehorses. Anim Sci J. 2017. 88(2):347-355.
• Allen J, Howell K. Microvascular imaging: techniques and opportunities for clinical physiological measurements. Physiol Meas. 2014. 35(7):R91-R141.