Measuring 3-D wounds
Figure: a snapshot of the wound measuring software prototype showing a scan of a simulated wound with the outline and area illustrated in blue.
Interdisciplinary Collaborators
- Dr. Frank Guido Sanz, Dr. Mindi Anderson, Dr. Desiree Diaz, Dr. Steve Tarbert (College of Nursing at University of Central Florida, Orlando FL)
Motivation:
Currently wounds are documented by taking 2D photos and taking measurements using rulers. The photos are not standardized in terms of angle, resolution, lighting) and the measurements can vary between one provider and another. The depth of the contour is hard to document with photos and with words. It is particularly challenging to measure wounds when they are located on non-flat surfaces such as the edge of a nose, or ear…etc. This variability in measurement can create unreliable results with a false sense of wound healing and vice versa.
Innovation Description:
With the advancement of computer processing power, graphics card, cameras, and scanners, these technologies can help address that problem. We are working on combining 3D computer graphics and photogrammetry to scan wounds and develop software to accurately measure these wounds (length, width, depth, outline, and surface area). The software allows healthcare providers to measure wounds accurately and consistently, and to align and compare wounds measurements to better assess changes through time. This work is in collaboration with University of Central Florida, College of Nursing.
Impact:
The technology allows standardized data collection of wound progress. It minimizes subjectivity and errors in patient assessment, which can lead to reduced medical errors and improved patient outcomes.
Publications:
2022
Reliability of wound measurement methods Journal Article
In: IEEE Open Journal of Instrumentation & Measurement. vol. 1, pp. 1-9, vol. 1, pp. 1-9, 2022, ISSN: 2768-7236.
System to Visualize, Measure and Track Skin Abnormalities (ViMeT) Patent
2022.
Optimizing Pressure Injury Measurement Study (OPIMS) Conference
International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL), 2022.