Clinical Evaluation of Burn Injuries Using an Optical Reflectance Technique

In a multiyear clinical study, the authors tested the reliability of an optical technique for diagnosing tissue damage on burn wounds. Optical reflectivity was measured using a convenient, bedside, noninvasive instrument (the Burn Depth Indicator), which was designed and built by one of the authors. The results show that this optical technique is more accurate than conventional methods for predicting the healing time of burn wounds which are otherwise difficult to assess. The optical properties of burn wounds were modeled using a three layer Kubelka-Munk model. We found that eschar thickness and the volume fraction and oxygen saturation of blood in the dermis determine the optical properties of the burn. These factors, in turn, are known to correlate with the burn depth and healing potential.