Computerized Colorimetry in Screening for Malignant Melanomas

• Torisu Hitoe

  Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University

• lmayama Shuhei

  Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University

• Hori Yoshiaki

  Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University

Abstract

We developed a computerized system for analyzing digital photos of pigmented skin lesions for melanoma screening. The system consisted of a digital camera equipped with a polarization cross filter and high-speed flash lightening. Images were analyzed in a microcomputer equipped with Photo Shop® and NIH Image® software. This system eliminates the reflection at the epidermal surface that presents an obstacle to detecting the color below the horny layer. Digitized photographs of the lesions were evaluated for color, expressed quantitatively as “color value”. Skin lesions were evaluated in 8 Japanese patients, 3 with malignant melanomas and 5 with benign pigmented nevi. We found that the color value was below 50 in the normal skin of these Japanese patients; that of pigmented areas exceeded 93. Areas of deeply pigmented macules exceeded the color value of 137. Accordingly, we evaluated the area of the whole lesion with a value ≥93 and the center of pigmented lesions with a value ≥137. The borders of the pigmented nevi were longer and more irregular than those of the malignant melanomas, while the latter showed areas of deeper pigmentation. Results suggest that this system may be useful for the screening of malignant melanomas prior to invasive histopathologic evaluation.

Journal

• bioimages

  bioimages 4 (2), 51-56, 1996

  Bioimaging Society

Keywords

• malignant melanoma
• polarization cross filter
• diagnosis
• image analysis

Details

• CRID: 1390570796246526720
• NII Article ID: 10002037683
• NII Book ID: AA11084187
• DOI: 10.11169/bioimages.4.51
• ISSN: 09192719
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed