title: A new, fast LDI for assessment of burns: a multi-centre clinical evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laser Doppler imaging (LDI) provides early accurate determination of wound healing potential. LDI can scan large areas of up to 2500 cm2 within 2 min. This duration may require additional sedation in a mobile, uncooperative child. In five burn centres a faster Laser Doppler Line Scanner (LDLS) was assessed. This new imager scans 300 cm2 in 4s with potential benefit for patients and operators. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and convenience of the LDLS and to compare this with an established LDI imager.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatients and admitted patients were included. LDI and LDLS images were obtained between 2 and 5 days post burn (PB). Photographs and records of wound and healing were obtained on day of scan and at 14 and 21 days PB. This provided data on three categories of burn wounds: healing within 14 days, 14-21 days and not healed within 21 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis included 596 burn areas from 204 burns patients. An accuracy of 94.2% was found with use of the LDLS compared with 94.4% for the original LDI imager.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high accuracy of the new line-scan imager was comparable to that of the traditional LDI. Its size and mobility enabled easier ward and outpatient use. The higher scan speed was particularly beneficial for scans in paediatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and Burn Centre, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium. Electronic address: hendrik.hoeksema@uzgent.be.
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoeksema
authors.affiliation: Centre for Operational Research and Applied Statistics, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK.
authors.forename: Rose D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: The Children's Hospital at Westmead Burns Research Institute and Burns Unit, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew J A
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.affiliation: Miami Valley Hospital Regional Burn Center, Dayton, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Travis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.affiliation: The Burns Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK.
authors.forename: Steven L A
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and Burn Centre, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verbelen
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and Burn Centre, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monstrey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002056:Burns / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burn depth assessment; Burn wounds; Children; Fast line scanner; Healing time; LDI; LDLS; Laser Doppler imaging; Laser Doppler line scanner