ObjectiveTo evaluate the currently perceived status of thermography in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders.Data sourcesMedical and legal journals published from 1956 onwards; report of the United States Office of Health Technology Assessment and personal communication with the author of that report.Study selectionConfined to application of thermography to musculoskeletal and neurological medicine.Data extraction and synthesisWeighted towards prospective and controlled studies.ConclusionLittle evidence exists of any application of thermography in which it is unequivocally superior to conventional diagnostic imaging methods.