A rudimentary system for automatic discrimination among basic skin lesions on the basis of color analysis of video images

Detection of differences in color is necessary for an automatic diagnostic system for skin lesions. The purpose of this study was to examine whether color analysis of an image obtained with a videomicroscope can be used as a key to distinguish basic skin lesions. We carried out quantitative color an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 1995-04, Vol.32 (4), p.600-604
Main Authors: Takiwaki, Hirotsugu, Shirai, Shiro, Watanabe, Yasumori, Nakagawa, Kohji, Arase, Seiji
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Absorption
Adrenal Cortex Hormones - adverse effects
Algorithms
Anaphylaxis - pathology
Biological and medical sciences
Color
Computerized, statistical medical data processing and models in biomedicine
Erythema - etiology
Erythema - pathology
Hemangioma - pathology
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Lentigo - pathology
Light
Medical management aid. Diagnosis aid
Medical sciences
Melanoma - pathology
Microscopy - methods
Nevus, Pigmented - pathology
Purpura - pathology
Skin Diseases - chemically induced
Skin Diseases - pathology
Skin Diseases, Vascular - pathology
Skin Neoplasms - pathology
Skin Pigmentation - radiation effects
Ultraviolet Rays - adverse effects
Vitiligo - pathology
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Summary:Detection of differences in color is necessary for an automatic diagnostic system for skin lesions. The purpose of this study was to examine whether color analysis of an image obtained with a videomicroscope can be used as a key to distinguish basic skin lesions. We carried out quantitative color analyses of nine kinds of natural or artificial skin lesions. After images of the lesion and adjacent normal skin were obtained, the difference in the mean quasiabsorbance (logarithm of the inverse reflectance) values between the two were examined in each color band of red, green, and blue by an image analytic method. We could determine a set of thresholds of quasiabsorbance values to distinguish between basic lesion colors. On the basis of these results we developed a rudimentary system that automatically offers possible diagnoses of a test site. The algorithm that we developed may be of value in an initial screening of skin lesions in an automatic diagnosis system.
ISSN:0190-9622
1097-6787
DOI:10.1016/0190-9622(95)90344-5