Image based system for the qualification of skin erythema

Skin allergy tests are the main procedure for diagnosing IgE-mediated reactions; which are commonly known as allergy. These reactions are produced by an overreaction of the immune system to substances that get in contact with the body, called allergens. From the skin allergy tests, the most commonly performed procedures are the skin prick tests (SPTs), which are based on introducing a small drop of allergen within the epidermis. If an allergic reaction occurs, histamine is released, causing local blood vessels to dilate, and thus, increasing the concentration of RBCs. Consequently, the local skin region becomes red in appearance, which is known as erythema. In addition, another symptom of this reaction is the increase in venules’ permeability, which produces a leakage of plasma (mainly composed by water). Then, extracellular fluid accumulates and a wheal appears. The dimensions of this wheal are used to determine if an specific allergen provokes a hypersensitivity reaction or not. This diagnostic method is based on visual appearance, which is subjected to userdependency. There is not an standardized way for measuring the wheal diameter, nor the erythematous area dimensions. Therefore, the objective of this work is to implement an image based system for performing an automatic diagnosis for hypersensitivity reactions. To achieve this, skin optical properties and light propagation within tissue are studied. Besides, for this purpose, absorbance and scattering coefficients for hemoglobin (contained in erythema) and water (contained in edema) are used for determining the illumination setup of the system. The specified wavelengths enhance visual appearance of erythema’s and edema’s light reflectance. From these values, absorption maps are built, which are then used to quantify both chromophore’s concentrations. The implementation of this system would mean an standardization for allergy tests diagnosis, as well as a cost reduction in experts training.Ingeniería Biomédic

Detección y segmentación de Eritema en lesiones de la piel basado en imágenes dermatoscópicas

El eritema es un tipo de lesión cutánea que se presenta como un enrojecimiento de la piel y suele estar asociado a una inflamación de la piel. La presencia de Eritema en otro tipo de lesiones o enfermedades es muy frecuente. Cuantificar el eritema permite al dermatólogo dar un correcto diagnóstico, ya que en ocasiones el eritema es el primer y único síntoma de algunas enfermedades infecciosas cutáneas. En este proyecto, empleando imágenes dermatoscópicas de lesiones de la piel, trataremos de clasificar las áreas de la lesión en Eritema, Piel Pigmentada y Piel Nomal. Para ello, nos basaremos en los primeros pasos del algoritmo descrito por Kharazmi et al. [1] para la segmentación de estructuras vasculares. Primero aplicamos un proceso de descomposición del color de la piel, para ello se utiliza el Analisis de Componentes Principales, el Análisis de Componentes Independientes e información del canal a* del espacio de color CIE L*a*b*. Con esto obtendremos las componentes de melanina y hemoglobina. A continuación, utilizamos un clasificador basado en la distancia de Mahalanobis sobre la componente de hemoglobina para clasificar los pixeles de la imagen en 3 clasificadores: Piel Normal, Piel Pigmentada y Eritema. Como resultado obtendremos la segmentación de las tres áreas de interés.Erythema is a type of skin lesion that appears as a skin redness and it is usually associated with skin inflammation. The presence of Erythema in other types of lesions or diseases is very frequent. Quantifying erythema allows the dermatologist to make a correct diagnosis, since erythema in some cases is the first and only symptom of some infectious skin diseases. In this project, using dermoscopic images of skin lesions, we will try to classify the areas of the lesion into Erythema, Pigmented Skin, and Nomal Skin. For this, we will base on the first steps of the algorithm described by Kharazmi et al. [1] for the segmentation of vascular structures. First, we apply a skin color decomposition process, using the Principal Component Analysis, the Independent Component Analysis and information from the a * channel of the CIE L * a * b * color space. With this we will obtain the components of melanin and hemoglobin. Next, we use a classifier based on the Mahalanobis distance on the hemoglobin component to classify the pixels of the image into 3 classifiers: Normal Skin, Pigmented Skin and Erythema. As a result we will have the segmentation of the three areas of interest.Universidad de Sevilla. Grado en Ingeniería de las Tecnologías de Telecomunicació

Digital Image Processing

This book presents several recent advances that are related or fall under the umbrella of 'digital image processing', with the purpose of providing an insight into the possibilities offered by digital image processing algorithms in various fields. The presented mathematical algorithms are accompanied by graphical representations and illustrative examples for an enhanced readability. The chapters are written in a manner that allows even a reader with basic experience and knowledge in the digital image processing field to properly understand the presented algorithms. Concurrently, the structure of the information in this book is such that fellow scientists will be able to use it to push the development of the presented subjects even further

Forensic Medicine

Forensic medicine is a continuously evolving science that is constantly being updated and improved, not only as a result of technological and scientific advances (which bring almost immediate repercussions) but also because of developments in the social and legal spheres. This book contains innovative perspectives and approaches to classic topics and problems in forensic medicine, offering reflections about the potential and limits of emerging areas in forensic expert research; it transmits the experience of some countries in the domain of cutting-edge expert intervention, and shows how research in other fields of knowledge may have very relevant implications for this practice

Abstracts from the 50th European Society of Human Genetics Conference: Posters

International audienc

Ernst Fuchs (1851-1930) and the Worldwide Renown of the Vienna School of Ophthalmology around 1900

By presenting documents and original photographs of the ophthalmologist Ernst Fuchs his life and scientific work are presented in a way never done before. German Version: http://e-book.fwf.ac.at/o:1551 English Version: http://e-book.fwf.ac.at/o:1773Anhand von bisher größtenteils noch niemals veröffentlichten Originaldokumenten und -abbildungen werden Leben und wissenschaftliches Wirken des Ophthalmologen Ernst Fuchs dargestellt. Ernst Fuchs war um 1900 nicht nur der bedeutendste österreichische Ophthalmologe, sondern genoss auch international hohes Ansehen. Er führte die Wiener ophthalmologische Schule zu seiner Zeit zu Weltruf. Deutsche Version: http://e-book.fwf.ac.at/o:1551 Englische Version: http://e-book.fwf.ac.at/o:177