A device independent method for skin color visualization has been developed. Colors reconstructed from a reflectance spectrum are presented on a computer screen by sRGB (standard Red Green Blue) color coordinates. The colors are presented as adjacent patches surrounded by a medium grey border. CIELAB color coordinates and CIE (International Commission on Illumination) color difference (Delta) E are computed. The change in skin color due to a change in average blood content or scattering properties in dermis is investigated. This is done by analytical simulations based on the diffusion approximation. It is found that an 11% change in average blood content and a 15% change in scattering properties will give a visible color change. A supposed visibility limit for (Delta) E is given. This value is based on experimental testing and the known properties of the human visual system. This limit value can be used as a tool to determine when to terminate laser treatment of port- wine stain due to low treatment response, i.e. low (Delta) E between treatments. The visualization method presented seems promising for medical applications as port-wine stain diagnostics. The method gives good possibilities for electronic transfer of data between clinics because it is device independent.

Date Published: 21 May 2001
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 4244, Lasers in Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems XI, (21 May 2001); doi: 10.1117/12.427765

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4244:
Lasers in Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems XI
Lawrence S. Bass M.D.; David S. Robinson M.D.; Eugene A. Trowers M.D.; Kenton W. Gregory M.D.; Lou Reinisch; Kenneth Eugene Bartels D.V.M.; R. Rox Anderson M.D.; Reza S. Malek M.D.; Kenneth Eugene Bartels D.V.M.; Lloyd P. Tate V.D.M.; Abraham Katzir; C. Gaelyn Garrett M.D.; Timothy A. Woodward M.D.; Hans-Dieter Reidenbach; George M. Peavy D.V.M.; Lawrence S. Bass M.D.; C. Gaelyn Garrett M.D.; Michael D. Lucroy D.V.M.; Kenton W. Gregory M.D.; Abraham Katzir; Nikiforos Kollias; Michael D. Lucroy D.V.M.; Reza S. Malek M.D.; J. Stuart Nelson M.D.; George M. Peavy D.V.M.; Hans-Dieter Reidenbach; Lou Reinisch; David S. Robinson M.D.; Lloyd P. Tate V.D.M.; Eugene A. Trowers M.D.; Timothy A. Woodward M.D., Editor(s)