Computer Assisted Assessment of Wound Appearance Using Digital Imaging

This paper describes a digital image processing system for the analysis of colour in wound images under clinical conditions. The system uses a 3CCD array digital video camera together with a colour scale for reference. The accuracy of colour assessment was compared with clinicians assessment of the amount of slough (necrotic tissue) in digital images. The system was found to be within the range of 10% in describing red hue values in red colour patches between different clinical sessions. There was agreement in 75% of the cases between clinicians assessment of the amount of slough and a computer assessment using digital imaging. However, colour may not be sufficient to describe wound appearance accurately.
Papers from 23rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, October 25-28, 2001, held in Istanbul, Turkey. See also ADM001351 for entire conference on cd-rom. The original document contains color images.