title: Predicting neuropathic ulceration: analysis of static temperature distributions in thermal images.
abstract: Foot ulcers affect millions of Americans annually. Conventional methods used to assess skin integrity, including inspection and palpation, may be valuable approaches, but they usually do not detect changes in skin integrity until an ulcer has already developed. We analyze the feasibility of thermal imaging as a technique to assess the integrity of the skin and its many layers. Thermal images are analyzed using an asymmetry analysis, combined with a genetic algorithm, to examine the infrared images for early detection of foot ulcers. Preliminary results show that the proposed technique can reliably and efficiently detect inflammation and hence effectively predict potential ulceration.
authors.affiliation: University of North Dakota, Electrical Engineering Department, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA. naimakaabouch@mail.und.edu
authors.forename: Naima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaabouch
authors.forename: Wen-Chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Julie W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Forrest
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ames
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paulson
mesh_terms: D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D016523:Foot Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007259:Infrared Rays; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*