Grayscale thermographic imaging
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of objectively detecting abnormalities in and beneath a mammalian body surface by comparing relative differences in the temperature of two areas of the outer surface of a mammalian body, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an infrared imaging device comprising a first laser beam emitting device and a second laser beam emitting device, wherein beams from said first and second laser beam emitting devices intersect at a predetermined distance from a target, said imaging device capable of passively reading radiant energy emissions from a target having wavelengths in the long-wave infrared range of 7 to 14 microns, the imaging device having a default configuration in which long-wave infrared thermal images acquired using the imaging device have;
a default pixel intensity range defined as a default thermal span between a default lower thermal intensity limit and a default upper thermal intensity limit, and that is a range of core temperatures within which are homeostasis requirements to sustain mammalian life whereby the thermal intensity variations within long-wave infrared thermal images acquired using the imaging device in the default configuration are limited to a range of thermal intensity variations that substantially covers the physiological thermal intensity range of the mammalian body, anda default thermal image resolution determined by an algorithm that includes the default upper thermal intensity limit, the default lower thermal intensity limit and a predetermined fixed number of different pixel values and is contained in a program on a computer readable medium;
arranging said imaging device relative to a mammal;
defining a first body surface area on the mammal as the target;
acquiring a first long-wave infrared thermal image of said first body surface area at said predetermined distance therefrom using said imaging device in the default configuration, the acquired first long-wave infrared thermal image comprising a plurality of pixels;
assigning each pixel of the acquired first long-wave infrared thermal image to a respective one of the predetermined fixed number of different pixel values according to the default thermal image resolution;
calculating an average pixel value for said first long-wave infrared thermal image;
defining a second body surface area on the mammal as the target;
acquiring a second long-wave infrared thermal image of said second body surface area at said predetermined distance therefrom using said imaging device in the default configuration, the acquired second long-wave infrared thermal image comprising a plurality of pixels;
assigning each pixel of the acquired second long-wave infrared thermal image to a respective one of the predetermined fixed number of different pixel values according to the default thermal image resolution;
calculating an average pixel value for said second long-wave infrared thermal image; and
generating a respective histogram of said pixel values within each of said first and second long-wave infrared thermal images, and detecting abnormalities in one of the first and second body surface areas relative to the other by comparing the histograms.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Through the measurement and interpretation of the pixels of grayscale digital thermographic images of abnormalities of the skin and its subcutaneous tissue, early intervention and treatment of abnormalities of the skin and its subcutaneous tissue are possible, thereby assisting clinicians in making significant impacts on prevention and treatment.
30 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of objectively detecting abnormalities in and beneath a mammalian body surface by comparing relative differences in the temperature of two areas of the outer surface of a mammalian body, said method comprising the steps of:
-
providing an infrared imaging device comprising a first laser beam emitting device and a second laser beam emitting device, wherein beams from said first and second laser beam emitting devices intersect at a predetermined distance from a target, said imaging device capable of passively reading radiant energy emissions from a target having wavelengths in the long-wave infrared range of 7 to 14 microns, the imaging device having a default configuration in which long-wave infrared thermal images acquired using the imaging device have; a default pixel intensity range defined as a default thermal span between a default lower thermal intensity limit and a default upper thermal intensity limit, and that is a range of core temperatures within which are homeostasis requirements to sustain mammalian life whereby the thermal intensity variations within long-wave infrared thermal images acquired using the imaging device in the default configuration are limited to a range of thermal intensity variations that substantially covers the physiological thermal intensity range of the mammalian body, and a default thermal image resolution determined by an algorithm that includes the default upper thermal intensity limit, the default lower thermal intensity limit and a predetermined fixed number of different pixel values and is contained in a program on a computer readable medium; arranging said imaging device relative to a mammal; defining a first body surface area on the mammal as the target; acquiring a first long-wave infrared thermal image of said first body surface area at said predetermined distance therefrom using said imaging device in the default configuration, the acquired first long-wave infrared thermal image comprising a plurality of pixels; assigning each pixel of the acquired first long-wave infrared thermal image to a respective one of the predetermined fixed number of different pixel values according to the default thermal image resolution; calculating an average pixel value for said first long-wave infrared thermal image; defining a second body surface area on the mammal as the target; acquiring a second long-wave infrared thermal image of said second body surface area at said predetermined distance therefrom using said imaging device in the default configuration, the acquired second long-wave infrared thermal image comprising a plurality of pixels; assigning each pixel of the acquired second long-wave infrared thermal image to a respective one of the predetermined fixed number of different pixel values according to the default thermal image resolution; calculating an average pixel value for said second long-wave infrared thermal image; and generating a respective histogram of said pixel values within each of said first and second long-wave infrared thermal images, and detecting abnormalities in one of the first and second body surface areas relative to the other by comparing the histograms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of objectively detecting abnormalities in and beneath a mammalian body surface by comparing relative differences in the temperature of two areas of the outer surface of a mammalian body, said method comprising the steps of:
-
providing an infrared imaging device comprising a first laser beam emitting device and a second laser beam emitting device, wherein beams from said first and second laser beam emitting devices intersect at a predetermined distance from a target, said imaging device capable of passively reading radiant energy emissions from a target having wavelengths in the long-wave infrared range of 7 to 14 microns, the imaging device having a default configuration in which long-wave infrared thermal images acquired using the imaging device have; a default pixel intensity range defined as a default thermal span between a default lower thermal intensity limit and a default upper thermal intensity limit, and that is a range of core temperatures within which are homeostasis requirements to sustain mammalian life whereby the thermal intensity variations within long-wave infrared thermal images acquired using the imaging device in the default configuration are limited to a range of thermal intensity variations that substantially covers the physiological thermal intensity range of the mammalian body, and a default thermal image resolution determined by an algorithm that includes the default upper thermal intensity limit, the default lower thermal intensity limit and a predetermined fixed number of different pixel values and is contained in a program on a computer readable medium; defining a potentially affected area of interest and an unaffected control area on the body surface of a mammal, said area of interest and said control area non-coinciding and proximate to each other; defining as the target a body surface area on the mammal that includes both said area of interest and said control area; arranging said imaging device relative to the mammal; acquiring a long-wave infrared thermal image of said body surface area at said predetermined distance therefrom using said imaging device in the default configuration, the acquired long-wave infrared thermal image comprising a plurality of pixels; assigning each pixel of the acquired long-wave infrared thermal image to a respective one of the predetermined fixed number of different pixel values according to the default thermal image resolution; calculating an average pixel value for pixels of the acquired long-wave infrared thermal image that correspond to said area of interest; calculating an average pixel value for pixels of the acquired long-wave infrared thermal image that correspond to said control area; and generating a respective histogram of said pixel values within each of said area of interest and said control area first and second long-wave infrared thermal images, and detecting abnormalities in said area of interest relative to said control area by comparing the histograms; wherein the pixel values of the pixels of the acquired long-wave infrared thermal image that correspond to said control area provide a real-time control facilitating evaluation of the area of interest. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification