Method and apparatus to measure the depth of skin burns
Abstract
A new device for measuring the depth of surface tissue burns based on the rate at which the skin temperature responds to a sudden differential temperature stimulus. This technique can be performed without physical contact with the burned tissue. In one implementation, time-dependent surface temperature data is taken from subsequent frames of a video signal from an infrared-sensitive video camera. When a thermal transient is created, e.g., by turning off a heat lamp directed at the skin surface, the following time-dependent surface temperature data can be used to determine the skin burn depth. Imaging and non-imaging versions of this device can be implemented, thereby enabling laboratory-quality skin burn depth imagers for hospitals as well as hand-held skin burn depth sensors the size of a small pocket flashlight for field use and triage.
- Inventors:
-
- Albuquerque, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 874394
- Patent Number(s):
- 6381488
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A61 - MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE A61B - DIAGNOSIS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; apparatus; measure; depth; burns; device; measuring; surface; tissue; based; rate; temperature; responds; sudden; differential; stimulus; technique; performed; physical; contact; burned; implementation; time-dependent; data; subsequent; frames; video; signal; infrared-sensitive; camera; thermal; transient; created; heat; lamp; directed; following; determine; burn; imaging; non-imaging; versions; implemented; enabling; laboratory-quality; imagers; hospitals; hand-held; sensors; size; pocket; flashlight; field; triage; physical contact; /600/
Citation Formats
Dickey, Fred M, and Holswade, Scott C. Method and apparatus to measure the depth of skin burns. United States: N. p., 2002.
Web.
Dickey, Fred M, & Holswade, Scott C. Method and apparatus to measure the depth of skin burns. United States.
Dickey, Fred M, and Holswade, Scott C. Tue .
"Method and apparatus to measure the depth of skin burns". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874394.
@article{osti_874394,
title = {Method and apparatus to measure the depth of skin burns},
author = {Dickey, Fred M and Holswade, Scott C},
abstractNote = {A new device for measuring the depth of surface tissue burns based on the rate at which the skin temperature responds to a sudden differential temperature stimulus. This technique can be performed without physical contact with the burned tissue. In one implementation, time-dependent surface temperature data is taken from subsequent frames of a video signal from an infrared-sensitive video camera. When a thermal transient is created, e.g., by turning off a heat lamp directed at the skin surface, the following time-dependent surface temperature data can be used to determine the skin burn depth. Imaging and non-imaging versions of this device can be implemented, thereby enabling laboratory-quality skin burn depth imagers for hospitals as well as hand-held skin burn depth sensors the size of a small pocket flashlight for field use and triage.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002}
}