Assessment of healing kinetics through true color image processing

Author

Herbin, M. ; Bon, F.X. ; Venot, A. ; Jeanlouis, F. ; Dubertret, M.L. ; Dubertret, L. ; Strauch, G.

Author_Institution

ECLIMED, Hoptial Cochin, Paris, France

Volume

12

Issue

1

fYear

1993

fDate

3/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

39

Lastpage

43

Abstract

A quantitative method of skin healing assessment using true color image processing is presented. The method was developed during a clinical trial using healthy volunteers, the goal of which was to study a drug for accelerating healing. Photographic images of the skin were sequentially acquired between day 1 and day 12 after pure painless epidermal wounds. The images were digitized in controlled conditions using a color video camera connected to a computer system. A color threshold based segmentation was developed to provide an operator-independent delineation of the wound. Two healing indexes were built measuring, the wound area and the wound color. The method was implemented in a software system allowing a fully automated determination of the healing indexes. The method provides a new quantitative global assessment of healing kinetics. It is noninvasive and well suited for multicentric clinical trials

Keywords

medical image processing; patient treatment; photographic applications; skin; 1 d; 12 d; accelerated healing drug; clinical trial; color threshold based segmentation; computerized color video camera; healing kinetics; healthy volunteers; operator-independent delineation; photographic images; pure painless epidermal wounds; quantitative method; skin healing assessment; software system; true color image processing; Acceleration; Cameras; Clinical trials; Color; Control systems; Drugs; Epidermis; Kinetic theory; Skin; Wounds;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Medical Imaging, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0278-0062

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/42.222664

Filename

222664