This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
2021 43rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC), Nov 1, 2021
Currently, there is no single technology capable of assessing all the multitude of factors associ... more Currently, there is no single technology capable of assessing all the multitude of factors associated with peripheral complications of diabetic neuropathy. In this work, a multimodal wound detection system is proposed to help facilitate in-home examinations, utilizing a combination of thermal, multi-spectral 3D imaging modalities. The proposed system is capable of the 3D surface rendering of the foot and would overlay thermal, blood oxygenation, besides other skin health information to aid with foot health monitoring. Examples of biomarkers include pre-ulcer formation, blood circulation, temperature change, oxygenation, swelling, blisters/ulcer formation and healing, and toe health.
This project's goal is to determine how to effectively implement a technology continuum from ... more This project's goal is to determine how to effectively implement a technology continuum from a low cost, remotely deployable imaging device to a more sophisticated multimode imaging system within a standard clinical practice. In this work a smartphone is used in conjunction with an optical attachment to capture cross-polarized and collinear color images of a nevus that are analyzed to quantify chromophore distribution. The nevus is also imaged by a multimode hyperspectral system, our proprietary SkinSpect™ device. Relative accuracy and biological plausibility of the two systems algorithms are compared to assess aspects of feasibility of in-home or primary care practitioner smartphone screening prior to rigorous clinical analysis via the SkinSpect.
Food waste is a global problem caused in large part by premature food spoilage. Seafood is especi... more Food waste is a global problem caused in large part by premature food spoilage. Seafood is especially prone to food waste because it spoils easily. Of the annual 4.7 billion pounds of seafood destined for U.S. markets between 2009 and 2013, 40 to 47 percent ended up as waste. This problem is due in large part to a lack of available technologies to enable rapid, accurate, and reliable valorization of food products from boat or farm to table. Fortunately, recent advancements in spectral sensing technologies and spectroscopic analyses show promise for addressing this problem. Not only could these advancements help to solve hunger issues in impoverished regions of the globe, but they could also benefit the average consumer by enabling intelligent pricing of food products based on projected shelf life. Additional technologies that enforce trust and compliance (e.g., blockchain) could further serve to prevent food fraud by maintaining records of spoilage conditions and other quality validation at all points along the food supply chain and provide improved transparency as regards contract performance and attribution of liability. In this chapter we discuss technologies that have enabled the development of hand-held spectroscopic devices for detecting food spoilage. We also discuss some of the analytical methods used to classify and quantify spoilage based on spectral measurements.
A smartphone mobile medical application, previously presented as a tool for individuals with hand... more A smartphone mobile medical application, previously presented as a tool for individuals with hand arthritis to assess and monitor the progress of their disease, has been modified and expanded to include extraction of anatomical features from the hand (joint/finger width, and angulation) and foot (length, width, big toe angle, and arch height index) from smartphone camera images. Image processing algorithms and automated measurements were validated by performing tests on digital hand models, rigid plastic hand models, and real human hands and feet to determine accuracy and reproducibility compared to conventional measurement tools such as calipers, rulers, and goniometers. The mobile application was able to provide finger joint width measurements with accuracy better than 0.34 (±0.25) millimeters. Joint angulation measurement accuracy was better than 0.50 (±0.45) degrees. The automatically calculated foot length accuracy was 1.20 (±1.27) millimeters and the foot width accuracy was 1.93 (±1.92) millimeters. Hallux valgus angle (used in assessing bunions) accuracy was 1.30 (±1.29) degrees. Arch height index (AHI) measurements had an accuracy of 0.02 (±0.01). Combined with in-app documentation of symptoms, treatment, and lifestyle factors, the anatomical feature measurements can be used by both healthcare professionals and manufacturers. Applications include: diagnosing hand osteoarthritis; providing custom finger splint measurements; providing compression glove measurements for burn and lymphedema patients; determining foot dimensions for custom shoe sizing, insoles, orthotics, or foot splints; and assessing arch height index and bunion treatment effectiveness.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease affecting approximately 125 million people worldwide. Current... more Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease affecting approximately 125 million people worldwide. Currently, dermatologists monitor changes of psoriasis by clinical evaluation or by measuring psoriasis severity scores over time which lead to Subjective management of this condition. The goal of this paper is to develop a reliable assessment system to quantitatively assess the changes of erythema and intensity of scaling of psoriatic lesions. A smartphone deployable mobile application is presented that uses the smartphone camera and cloud-based image processing to analyze physiological characteristics of psoriasis lesions, identify the type and stage of the scaling and erythema. The application targets to automatically evaluate Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) by measuring the severity and extent of psoriasis. The mobile application performs the following core functions: 1) it captures text information from user input to create a profile in a HIPAA compliant database. 2) It captures an image of the skin with psoriasis as well as image-related information entered by the user. 3) The application color correct the image based on environmental lighting condition using calibration process including calibration procedure by capturing Macbeth ColorChecker image. 4) The color-corrected image will be transmitted to a cloud-based engine for image processing. In cloud, first, the algorithm removes the non-skin background to ensure the psoriasis segmentation is only applied to the skin regions. Then, the psoriasis segmentation algorithm estimates the erythema and scaling boundary regions of lesion. We analyzed 10 images of psoriasis images captured by cellphone, determined PASI score for each subject during our pilot study, and correlated it with changes in severity scores given by dermatologists. The success of this work allows smartphone application for psoriasis severity assessment in a long-term treatment.
Changes in the pattern and distribution of both melanocytes (pigment producing) and vasculature (... more Changes in the pattern and distribution of both melanocytes (pigment producing) and vasculature (hemoglobin containing) are important in distinguishing melanocytic proliferations. The ability to accurately measure melanin distribution at different depths and to distinguish it from hemoglobin is clearly important when assessing pigmented lesions (benign versus malignant). We have developed a multimode hyperspectral dermoscope (SkinSpect™) able to more accurately image both melanin and hemoglobin distribution in skin. SkinSpect uses both hyperspectral and polarization-sensitive measurements. SkinSpect's higher accuracy has been obtained by correcting for the effect of melanin absorption on hemoglobin absorption in measurements of melanocytic nevi. In vivo human skin pigmented nevi (N ¼ 20) were evaluated with the SkinSpect, and measured melanin and hemoglobin concentrations were compared with spatial frequency domain spectroscopy (SFDS) measurements. We confirm that both systems show low correlation of hemoglobin concentrations with regions containing different melanin concentrations (R ¼ 0.13 for SFDS, R ¼ 0.07 for SkinSpect).
The capacity of optical imaging methods to characterize biological tissue in general, and skin in... more The capacity of optical imaging methods to characterize biological tissue in general, and skin in particular, with high resolution and discrimination ability provides a very valuable tool in the reliable, noninvasive assessment of differences between normal and abnormal states, thus allowing meaningful clinical applications, including early diagnosis of disease. For such approaches to fully realize their potential, one must start from a good understanding of tissue properties, and an equally advanced understanding of the tools deployed. Certain difficult problems may require the combined use of several imaging methods, and molecular-level understanding, with hyperspectral imaging emerging as one of the more powerful technologies in this regard, as reviewed here.
Advances in image-guided therapy enable physicians to obtain real-time information on neurologica... more Advances in image-guided therapy enable physicians to obtain real-time information on neurological disorders such as brain tumors to improve resection accuracy. Image guidance data include the location, size, shape, type, and extent of tumors. Recent technological advances in neurophotonic engineering have enabled the development of techniques for minimally invasive neurosurgery. Incorporation of these methods in intraoperative imaging decreases surgical procedure time and allows neurosurgeons to find remaining or hidden tumor or epileptic lesions. This facilitates more complete resection and improved topology information for postsurgical therapy (i.e., radiation). We review the clinical application of recent advances in neurophotonic technologies including Raman spectroscopy, thermal imaging, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescence spectroscopy, highlighting the importance of these technologies in live intraoperative tissue mapping during neurosurgery. While these technologies need further validation in larger clinical trials, they show remarkable promise in their ability to help surgeons to better visualize the areas of abnormality and enable safe and successful removal of malignancies.
Attempts to understand the changes in the structure and physiology of human skin abnormalities by... more Attempts to understand the changes in the structure and physiology of human skin abnormalities by non-invasive optical imaging are aided by spectroscopic methods that quantify, at the molecular level, variations in tissue oxygenation and melanin distribution. However, current commercial and research systems to map hemoglobin and melanin do not correlate well with pathology for pigmented lesions or darker skin. We developed a multimode dermoscope that combines polarization and hyperspectral imaging with an efficient analytical model to map the distribution of specific skin bio-molecules. This corrects for the melanin-hemoglobin misestimation common to other systems, without resorting to complex and computationally intensive tissue optical models. For this system's proof of concept, human skin measurements on melanocytic nevus, vitiligo, and venous occlusion conditions were performed in volunteers. The resulting molecular distribution maps matched physiological and anatomical expectations, confirming a technologic approach that can be applied to next generation dermoscopes and having biological plausibility that is likely to appeal to dermatologists.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
We have developed a multimode dermoscope (SkinSpect™) capable of illuminating human skin samples ... more We have developed a multimode dermoscope (SkinSpect™) capable of illuminating human skin samples in-vivo with spectrally-programmable linearly-polarized light at 33 wavelengths between 468nm and 857 nm. Diffusely reflected photons are separated into collinear and cross-polarized image paths and images captured for each illumination wavelength. In vivo human skin nevi (N = 20) were evaluated with the multimode dermoscope and melanin and hemoglobin concentrations were compared with Spatially Modulated Quantitative Spectroscopy (SMoQS) measurements. Both systems show low correlation between their melanin and hemoglobin concentrations, demonstrating the ability of the SkinSpect™ to separate these molecular signatures and thus act as a biologically plausible device capable of early onset melanoma detection.
Chronic skin diseases like eczema may lead to severe health and financial consequences for patien... more Chronic skin diseases like eczema may lead to severe health and financial consequences for patients if not detected and controlled early. Early measurement of disease severity, combined with a recommendation for skin protection and use of appropriate medication can prevent the disease from worsening. Current diagnosis can be costly and time-consuming. In this paper, an automatic eczema detection and severity measurement model are presented using modern image processing and computer algorithm. The system can successfully detect regions of eczema and classify the identified region as mild or severe based on image color and texture feature. Then the model automatically measures skin parameters used in the most common assessment tool called "Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI)," by computing eczema affected area score, eczema intensity score, and body region score of eczema allowing both patients and physicians to accurately assess the affected skin.
We introduce the research prototype of SkinSpect-a multimode dermoscope combining fluorescence, p... more We introduce the research prototype of SkinSpect-a multimode dermoscope combining fluorescence, polarization and hyperspectral imaging. The multimode dermoscope combines polarization and hyperspectral imaging with a computationally rapid analytical model. This approach employs specific spectral ranges in visible and near infrared wavelengths for mapping the distribution of specific skin bio-molecules. This corrects for the melanin-hemoglobin misestimation common to other systems, without resorting to complex and computationally intensive tissue optical models that are prone to inaccuracies due to overmodeling. In the example shown, skin with a melanocytic nevus was imaged, after which the system determined relative melanin and hemoglobin concentrations as well as skin surface "fabric pattern" and fluorescence anisotropy maps.
Our goal is to develop a reliable and cost-effective spectral imaging system with sparse spectral... more Our goal is to develop a reliable and cost-effective spectral imaging system with sparse spectral measurements. Relative to standard RGB imaging systems, hyperspectral imaging systems offer superior capabilities but tend to be expensive and complex, requiring either a mechanically complex push-broom line scanning method, a tunable filter, or a large set of LEDs to collect images in multiple wavelengths. We would like to overcome these limitations by employing a novel spectral reconstruction algorithm to recreate the full-resolution reflectance or fluorescence spectrum from an optimized selection of images at a sparse set of wavelengths. This algorithm is aided by a single full-resolution spectrometer measurement representing an average value over the selected spatial scene. We use a genetic algorithm-based methodology to identify the optimal wavelengths for sparse spectral measurement and invoke a cost function that includes a weight vector to emphasize minimization of errors in key portions of the spectrum. To validate the proposed algorithm, reflectance spectra in the visible and NIR (400-1000 nm) and fluorescence spectra with UV illumination were collected from fish fillets to validate our methods. In this paper, we discuss the reconstruction algorithm and the genetic algorithm-based optimization method that we use to determine the optimal set of wavelengths for imagery collection. We also present results from a fish species classification study using the reconstructed spectra as feature sets for four common machine learning algorithms. The classification accuracies based on these reconstructed spectra are on par with the accuracies that result from using the original full spectral resolution data.
A smartphone mobile medical application is presented, that provides analysis of the health of ski... more A smartphone mobile medical application is presented, that provides analysis of the health of skin on the face using a smartphone image and cloud-based image processing techniques. The mobile application employs the use of the camera to capture a front face image of a subject, after which the captured image is spatially calibrated based on fiducial points such as position of the iris of the eye. A facial recognition algorithm is used to identify features of the human face image, to normalize the image, and to define facial regions of interest (ROI) for acne assessment. We identify acne lesions and classify them into two categories: those that are papules and those that are pustules. Automated facial acne assessment was validated by performing tests on images of 60 digital human models and 10 real human face images. The application was able to identify 92% of acne lesions within five facial ROIs. The classification accuracy for separating papules from pustules was 98%. Combined with in-app documentation of treatment, lifestyle factors, and automated facial acne assessment, the app can be used in both cosmetic and clinical dermatology. It allows users to quantitatively self-measure acne severity and treatment efficacy on an ongoing basis to help them manage their chronic facial acne.
Our goal is to use multimode spectral imaging data from four optical imaging systems and derive s... more Our goal is to use multimode spectral imaging data from four optical imaging systems and derive statistics to help us identify fish species from the multimode fusion of spectral data. The spectral data have been acquired using four systems: (1) Reflectance spectral imaging in the visible and near-infrared, (2) reflectance spectral imaging in the short-wave infrared, (3) fluorescence spectral imaging, (4) Raman imaging. We classify data and build decision tables. We then weight our tables with Monte Carlo prediction to increase the sensitivity of the system.
Purpose: To determine the performance of a multimode dermoscopy system (SkinSpect) designed to qu... more Purpose: To determine the performance of a multimode dermoscopy system (SkinSpect) designed to quantify and 3-D map in vivo melanin and hemoglobin concentrations in skin and its melanoma scoring system, and compare the results accuracy with SIAscopy, and histopathology. Methods: A multimode imaging dermoscope is presented that combines polarization, fluorescence and hyperspectral imaging to accurately map the distribution of skin melanin, collagen and hemoglobin in pigmented lesions. We combine two depth-sensitive techniques: polarization, and hyperspectral imaging, to determine the spatial distribution of melanin and hemoglobin oxygenation in a skin lesion. By quantifying melanin absorption in pigmented areas, we can also more accurately estimate fluorescence emission distribution mainly from skin collagen. Results and discussion: We compared in vivo features of melanocytic lesions (N = 10) extracted by non-invasive SkinSpect and SIMSYS-MoleMate SIAscope, and correlate them to pathology report. Melanin distribution at different depths as well as hemodynamics including abnormal vascularity we detected will be discussed. We will adapt SkinSpect scoring with ABCDE (asymmetry , border, color, diameter, evolution) and seven point dermatologic checklist including: (1) atypical pigment network, (2) blue-whitish veil, (3) atypical vascular pattern, (4) irregular streaks, (5) irregular pigmentation, (6) irregular dots and globules, (7) regression structures estimated by dermatologist. Conclusion: Distinctive, diagnostic features seen by SkinSpect in melanoma vs. normal pigmented lesions will be compared by SIAscopy and results from histopathology.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
2021 43rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC), Nov 1, 2021
Currently, there is no single technology capable of assessing all the multitude of factors associ... more Currently, there is no single technology capable of assessing all the multitude of factors associated with peripheral complications of diabetic neuropathy. In this work, a multimodal wound detection system is proposed to help facilitate in-home examinations, utilizing a combination of thermal, multi-spectral 3D imaging modalities. The proposed system is capable of the 3D surface rendering of the foot and would overlay thermal, blood oxygenation, besides other skin health information to aid with foot health monitoring. Examples of biomarkers include pre-ulcer formation, blood circulation, temperature change, oxygenation, swelling, blisters/ulcer formation and healing, and toe health.
This project's goal is to determine how to effectively implement a technology continuum from ... more This project's goal is to determine how to effectively implement a technology continuum from a low cost, remotely deployable imaging device to a more sophisticated multimode imaging system within a standard clinical practice. In this work a smartphone is used in conjunction with an optical attachment to capture cross-polarized and collinear color images of a nevus that are analyzed to quantify chromophore distribution. The nevus is also imaged by a multimode hyperspectral system, our proprietary SkinSpect™ device. Relative accuracy and biological plausibility of the two systems algorithms are compared to assess aspects of feasibility of in-home or primary care practitioner smartphone screening prior to rigorous clinical analysis via the SkinSpect.
Food waste is a global problem caused in large part by premature food spoilage. Seafood is especi... more Food waste is a global problem caused in large part by premature food spoilage. Seafood is especially prone to food waste because it spoils easily. Of the annual 4.7 billion pounds of seafood destined for U.S. markets between 2009 and 2013, 40 to 47 percent ended up as waste. This problem is due in large part to a lack of available technologies to enable rapid, accurate, and reliable valorization of food products from boat or farm to table. Fortunately, recent advancements in spectral sensing technologies and spectroscopic analyses show promise for addressing this problem. Not only could these advancements help to solve hunger issues in impoverished regions of the globe, but they could also benefit the average consumer by enabling intelligent pricing of food products based on projected shelf life. Additional technologies that enforce trust and compliance (e.g., blockchain) could further serve to prevent food fraud by maintaining records of spoilage conditions and other quality validation at all points along the food supply chain and provide improved transparency as regards contract performance and attribution of liability. In this chapter we discuss technologies that have enabled the development of hand-held spectroscopic devices for detecting food spoilage. We also discuss some of the analytical methods used to classify and quantify spoilage based on spectral measurements.
A smartphone mobile medical application, previously presented as a tool for individuals with hand... more A smartphone mobile medical application, previously presented as a tool for individuals with hand arthritis to assess and monitor the progress of their disease, has been modified and expanded to include extraction of anatomical features from the hand (joint/finger width, and angulation) and foot (length, width, big toe angle, and arch height index) from smartphone camera images. Image processing algorithms and automated measurements were validated by performing tests on digital hand models, rigid plastic hand models, and real human hands and feet to determine accuracy and reproducibility compared to conventional measurement tools such as calipers, rulers, and goniometers. The mobile application was able to provide finger joint width measurements with accuracy better than 0.34 (±0.25) millimeters. Joint angulation measurement accuracy was better than 0.50 (±0.45) degrees. The automatically calculated foot length accuracy was 1.20 (±1.27) millimeters and the foot width accuracy was 1.93 (±1.92) millimeters. Hallux valgus angle (used in assessing bunions) accuracy was 1.30 (±1.29) degrees. Arch height index (AHI) measurements had an accuracy of 0.02 (±0.01). Combined with in-app documentation of symptoms, treatment, and lifestyle factors, the anatomical feature measurements can be used by both healthcare professionals and manufacturers. Applications include: diagnosing hand osteoarthritis; providing custom finger splint measurements; providing compression glove measurements for burn and lymphedema patients; determining foot dimensions for custom shoe sizing, insoles, orthotics, or foot splints; and assessing arch height index and bunion treatment effectiveness.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease affecting approximately 125 million people worldwide. Current... more Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease affecting approximately 125 million people worldwide. Currently, dermatologists monitor changes of psoriasis by clinical evaluation or by measuring psoriasis severity scores over time which lead to Subjective management of this condition. The goal of this paper is to develop a reliable assessment system to quantitatively assess the changes of erythema and intensity of scaling of psoriatic lesions. A smartphone deployable mobile application is presented that uses the smartphone camera and cloud-based image processing to analyze physiological characteristics of psoriasis lesions, identify the type and stage of the scaling and erythema. The application targets to automatically evaluate Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) by measuring the severity and extent of psoriasis. The mobile application performs the following core functions: 1) it captures text information from user input to create a profile in a HIPAA compliant database. 2) It captures an image of the skin with psoriasis as well as image-related information entered by the user. 3) The application color correct the image based on environmental lighting condition using calibration process including calibration procedure by capturing Macbeth ColorChecker image. 4) The color-corrected image will be transmitted to a cloud-based engine for image processing. In cloud, first, the algorithm removes the non-skin background to ensure the psoriasis segmentation is only applied to the skin regions. Then, the psoriasis segmentation algorithm estimates the erythema and scaling boundary regions of lesion. We analyzed 10 images of psoriasis images captured by cellphone, determined PASI score for each subject during our pilot study, and correlated it with changes in severity scores given by dermatologists. The success of this work allows smartphone application for psoriasis severity assessment in a long-term treatment.
Changes in the pattern and distribution of both melanocytes (pigment producing) and vasculature (... more Changes in the pattern and distribution of both melanocytes (pigment producing) and vasculature (hemoglobin containing) are important in distinguishing melanocytic proliferations. The ability to accurately measure melanin distribution at different depths and to distinguish it from hemoglobin is clearly important when assessing pigmented lesions (benign versus malignant). We have developed a multimode hyperspectral dermoscope (SkinSpect™) able to more accurately image both melanin and hemoglobin distribution in skin. SkinSpect uses both hyperspectral and polarization-sensitive measurements. SkinSpect's higher accuracy has been obtained by correcting for the effect of melanin absorption on hemoglobin absorption in measurements of melanocytic nevi. In vivo human skin pigmented nevi (N ¼ 20) were evaluated with the SkinSpect, and measured melanin and hemoglobin concentrations were compared with spatial frequency domain spectroscopy (SFDS) measurements. We confirm that both systems show low correlation of hemoglobin concentrations with regions containing different melanin concentrations (R ¼ 0.13 for SFDS, R ¼ 0.07 for SkinSpect).
The capacity of optical imaging methods to characterize biological tissue in general, and skin in... more The capacity of optical imaging methods to characterize biological tissue in general, and skin in particular, with high resolution and discrimination ability provides a very valuable tool in the reliable, noninvasive assessment of differences between normal and abnormal states, thus allowing meaningful clinical applications, including early diagnosis of disease. For such approaches to fully realize their potential, one must start from a good understanding of tissue properties, and an equally advanced understanding of the tools deployed. Certain difficult problems may require the combined use of several imaging methods, and molecular-level understanding, with hyperspectral imaging emerging as one of the more powerful technologies in this regard, as reviewed here.
Advances in image-guided therapy enable physicians to obtain real-time information on neurologica... more Advances in image-guided therapy enable physicians to obtain real-time information on neurological disorders such as brain tumors to improve resection accuracy. Image guidance data include the location, size, shape, type, and extent of tumors. Recent technological advances in neurophotonic engineering have enabled the development of techniques for minimally invasive neurosurgery. Incorporation of these methods in intraoperative imaging decreases surgical procedure time and allows neurosurgeons to find remaining or hidden tumor or epileptic lesions. This facilitates more complete resection and improved topology information for postsurgical therapy (i.e., radiation). We review the clinical application of recent advances in neurophotonic technologies including Raman spectroscopy, thermal imaging, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescence spectroscopy, highlighting the importance of these technologies in live intraoperative tissue mapping during neurosurgery. While these technologies need further validation in larger clinical trials, they show remarkable promise in their ability to help surgeons to better visualize the areas of abnormality and enable safe and successful removal of malignancies.
Attempts to understand the changes in the structure and physiology of human skin abnormalities by... more Attempts to understand the changes in the structure and physiology of human skin abnormalities by non-invasive optical imaging are aided by spectroscopic methods that quantify, at the molecular level, variations in tissue oxygenation and melanin distribution. However, current commercial and research systems to map hemoglobin and melanin do not correlate well with pathology for pigmented lesions or darker skin. We developed a multimode dermoscope that combines polarization and hyperspectral imaging with an efficient analytical model to map the distribution of specific skin bio-molecules. This corrects for the melanin-hemoglobin misestimation common to other systems, without resorting to complex and computationally intensive tissue optical models. For this system's proof of concept, human skin measurements on melanocytic nevus, vitiligo, and venous occlusion conditions were performed in volunteers. The resulting molecular distribution maps matched physiological and anatomical expectations, confirming a technologic approach that can be applied to next generation dermoscopes and having biological plausibility that is likely to appeal to dermatologists.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
We have developed a multimode dermoscope (SkinSpect™) capable of illuminating human skin samples ... more We have developed a multimode dermoscope (SkinSpect™) capable of illuminating human skin samples in-vivo with spectrally-programmable linearly-polarized light at 33 wavelengths between 468nm and 857 nm. Diffusely reflected photons are separated into collinear and cross-polarized image paths and images captured for each illumination wavelength. In vivo human skin nevi (N = 20) were evaluated with the multimode dermoscope and melanin and hemoglobin concentrations were compared with Spatially Modulated Quantitative Spectroscopy (SMoQS) measurements. Both systems show low correlation between their melanin and hemoglobin concentrations, demonstrating the ability of the SkinSpect™ to separate these molecular signatures and thus act as a biologically plausible device capable of early onset melanoma detection.
Chronic skin diseases like eczema may lead to severe health and financial consequences for patien... more Chronic skin diseases like eczema may lead to severe health and financial consequences for patients if not detected and controlled early. Early measurement of disease severity, combined with a recommendation for skin protection and use of appropriate medication can prevent the disease from worsening. Current diagnosis can be costly and time-consuming. In this paper, an automatic eczema detection and severity measurement model are presented using modern image processing and computer algorithm. The system can successfully detect regions of eczema and classify the identified region as mild or severe based on image color and texture feature. Then the model automatically measures skin parameters used in the most common assessment tool called "Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI)," by computing eczema affected area score, eczema intensity score, and body region score of eczema allowing both patients and physicians to accurately assess the affected skin.
We introduce the research prototype of SkinSpect-a multimode dermoscope combining fluorescence, p... more We introduce the research prototype of SkinSpect-a multimode dermoscope combining fluorescence, polarization and hyperspectral imaging. The multimode dermoscope combines polarization and hyperspectral imaging with a computationally rapid analytical model. This approach employs specific spectral ranges in visible and near infrared wavelengths for mapping the distribution of specific skin bio-molecules. This corrects for the melanin-hemoglobin misestimation common to other systems, without resorting to complex and computationally intensive tissue optical models that are prone to inaccuracies due to overmodeling. In the example shown, skin with a melanocytic nevus was imaged, after which the system determined relative melanin and hemoglobin concentrations as well as skin surface "fabric pattern" and fluorescence anisotropy maps.
Our goal is to develop a reliable and cost-effective spectral imaging system with sparse spectral... more Our goal is to develop a reliable and cost-effective spectral imaging system with sparse spectral measurements. Relative to standard RGB imaging systems, hyperspectral imaging systems offer superior capabilities but tend to be expensive and complex, requiring either a mechanically complex push-broom line scanning method, a tunable filter, or a large set of LEDs to collect images in multiple wavelengths. We would like to overcome these limitations by employing a novel spectral reconstruction algorithm to recreate the full-resolution reflectance or fluorescence spectrum from an optimized selection of images at a sparse set of wavelengths. This algorithm is aided by a single full-resolution spectrometer measurement representing an average value over the selected spatial scene. We use a genetic algorithm-based methodology to identify the optimal wavelengths for sparse spectral measurement and invoke a cost function that includes a weight vector to emphasize minimization of errors in key portions of the spectrum. To validate the proposed algorithm, reflectance spectra in the visible and NIR (400-1000 nm) and fluorescence spectra with UV illumination were collected from fish fillets to validate our methods. In this paper, we discuss the reconstruction algorithm and the genetic algorithm-based optimization method that we use to determine the optimal set of wavelengths for imagery collection. We also present results from a fish species classification study using the reconstructed spectra as feature sets for four common machine learning algorithms. The classification accuracies based on these reconstructed spectra are on par with the accuracies that result from using the original full spectral resolution data.
A smartphone mobile medical application is presented, that provides analysis of the health of ski... more A smartphone mobile medical application is presented, that provides analysis of the health of skin on the face using a smartphone image and cloud-based image processing techniques. The mobile application employs the use of the camera to capture a front face image of a subject, after which the captured image is spatially calibrated based on fiducial points such as position of the iris of the eye. A facial recognition algorithm is used to identify features of the human face image, to normalize the image, and to define facial regions of interest (ROI) for acne assessment. We identify acne lesions and classify them into two categories: those that are papules and those that are pustules. Automated facial acne assessment was validated by performing tests on images of 60 digital human models and 10 real human face images. The application was able to identify 92% of acne lesions within five facial ROIs. The classification accuracy for separating papules from pustules was 98%. Combined with in-app documentation of treatment, lifestyle factors, and automated facial acne assessment, the app can be used in both cosmetic and clinical dermatology. It allows users to quantitatively self-measure acne severity and treatment efficacy on an ongoing basis to help them manage their chronic facial acne.
Our goal is to use multimode spectral imaging data from four optical imaging systems and derive s... more Our goal is to use multimode spectral imaging data from four optical imaging systems and derive statistics to help us identify fish species from the multimode fusion of spectral data. The spectral data have been acquired using four systems: (1) Reflectance spectral imaging in the visible and near-infrared, (2) reflectance spectral imaging in the short-wave infrared, (3) fluorescence spectral imaging, (4) Raman imaging. We classify data and build decision tables. We then weight our tables with Monte Carlo prediction to increase the sensitivity of the system.
Purpose: To determine the performance of a multimode dermoscopy system (SkinSpect) designed to qu... more Purpose: To determine the performance of a multimode dermoscopy system (SkinSpect) designed to quantify and 3-D map in vivo melanin and hemoglobin concentrations in skin and its melanoma scoring system, and compare the results accuracy with SIAscopy, and histopathology. Methods: A multimode imaging dermoscope is presented that combines polarization, fluorescence and hyperspectral imaging to accurately map the distribution of skin melanin, collagen and hemoglobin in pigmented lesions. We combine two depth-sensitive techniques: polarization, and hyperspectral imaging, to determine the spatial distribution of melanin and hemoglobin oxygenation in a skin lesion. By quantifying melanin absorption in pigmented areas, we can also more accurately estimate fluorescence emission distribution mainly from skin collagen. Results and discussion: We compared in vivo features of melanocytic lesions (N = 10) extracted by non-invasive SkinSpect and SIMSYS-MoleMate SIAscope, and correlate them to pathology report. Melanin distribution at different depths as well as hemodynamics including abnormal vascularity we detected will be discussed. We will adapt SkinSpect scoring with ABCDE (asymmetry , border, color, diameter, evolution) and seven point dermatologic checklist including: (1) atypical pigment network, (2) blue-whitish veil, (3) atypical vascular pattern, (4) irregular streaks, (5) irregular pigmentation, (6) irregular dots and globules, (7) regression structures estimated by dermatologist. Conclusion: Distinctive, diagnostic features seen by SkinSpect in melanoma vs. normal pigmented lesions will be compared by SIAscopy and results from histopathology.
Uploads
Papers by Nick MacKinnon