Title :
A taxonomy for nailfold capillaries based on morphology
Author :
Jones, B.F. ; Oral, M. ; Ring, E.F.J. ; Morris, C.W.
Author_Institution :
Glamorgan Univ., UK
Abstract :
Skin capillaries may be imaged using video-microscopy for the purpose of studying blood micro-circulation in patients with diabetes and various connective tissue diseases. Nailfold capillaries have been classified according to a taxonomy based on the following descriptive classes: cuticulis, open, tortuous, crossed, bushy and bizarre. They may be modified in disease and have an anomalous width (enlarged, giant) or length (elongated). An automated software system has been produced to classify capillaries and has achieved more objective and consistent results than a panel of clinicians
Keywords :
biomedical imaging; blood vessels; diseases; haemorheology; image classification; mathematical morphology; medical image processing; optical microscopy; skin; anomalous width; automated software system; bizarre; blood micro-circulation; bushy; classification; connective tissue diseases; crossed; cuticulis; diabetes; disease; elongated; enlarged; giant; length; morphology; nailfold capillaries; open; skin capillaries; taxonomy; tortuous; video-microscopy; Blood; Collaborative work; Connective tissue; Diabetes; Diseases; Morphology; Shape; Software systems; Taxonomy; Terminology;
Conference_Titel :
[Engineering in Medicine and Biology, 1999. 21st Annual Conference and the 1999 Annual Fall Meetring of the Biomedical Engineering Society] BMES/EMBS Conference, 1999. Proceedings of the First Joint
Conference_Location :
Atlanta, GA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5674-8
DOI :
10.1109/IEMBS.1999.804335
