System and method for tracking healing progress of tissue

• US 20080071162A1
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Inventors: Beard, Mark, Xu, Tianning, Jaeb, Jonathan, Locke, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5056 pneumatically controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0057 Suction suction kneading A61H7/008
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/73 comprising sensors or indicators for physical values
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/90 Negative pressure wound therapy devices, i.e. devices for applying suction to a wound to promote healing, e.g. including a vacuum dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/15 Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/33 Controlling, regulating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3327 Measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3337 Controlling, regulating pressure or flow by means of a valve by-passing a pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/43 making noise when used correctly
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1415 Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0468 Specially adapted for promoting wound healing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/046 adapted to upward-downward translation movement
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/048 : adapted to forward-backward translation movement
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 : for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/027 : by friction
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/14 : by measurement of pressure

Abstract

A system and method for analyzing tissue healing may include an image capture device and a reference color marker of a predetermined color. A processing unit may be in communication with the image capture device, and be configured to receive image data from the image capture device. The image data may include image of a tissue site and the reference color marker. At least one image parameter may be adjusted based on at least a portion of the image of the reference color marker to normalize the image data. The normalized image data may be presented to a clinician.

Claims

1. A system for analyzing tissue healing, said system comprising:

an image capture device;

a reference color marker of a predetermined color;

a processing unit in communication with said image capture device, and configured to;

receive image data from said image capture device, the image data including image of a tissue site and said reference color marker;

adjust at least one image parameter based on at least a portion of the image of said reference color marker to normalize the image data; and

present the normalized image data to a clinician.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit, in adjusting the at least one image parameter, changes color of the at least a portion of the image of said reference color element to substantially match a predetermined color, wherein said processing unit is further configured to change color of the image of the tissue site in the same manner as the color of the image of the reference color element is changed.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said processing system is further configured to:

enable the clinician to identify at least one region of the tissue site that is within a particular stage of tissue healing.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the region of the tissue site defines necrotic tissue, granulation tissue, or slough tissue.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said processing unit is further configured to calculate area of the at least one region of the tissue site.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising an electronic display, wherein said processing unit is further configured to display the tissue site and identify the region of the tissue site within the tissue healing stage on said electronic display.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

compare colors in the adjusted color image of the tissue site to a range of colors defining a tissue type within a tissue healing stage; and

determine area of the tissue type within the tissue healing stage.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said processing unit is further configured to repeat comparing and determining for multiple tissue healing stages.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said reference color marker is a card.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said reference color element is white.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one image parameter includes a white balance image parameter.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein capturing an image including a reference color marker includes capturing an image of a white reference color marker.

12. A method for analyzing tissue healing, said method comprising:

capturing an image including a tissue site and a reference color marker;

adjusting at least one image parameter based on at least a portion of the image of the reference color marker to normalize color of the image; and

presenting the color normalized image to a clinician.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein adjusting includes changing color of the at least a portion of the image of the reference color marker to substantially match a predetermined color, thereby changing color of the image of the tissue site in the same manner as the color of the image of the reference color marker is changed.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising enabling the clinician to identify at least one region of the tissue site that is within a particular stage of tissue healing.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein enabling the clinician to identify at least one region of the tissue site includes enabling the clinician to identify that the at least one region of the tissue site is necrotic tissue, granulation tissue, or slough tissue.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising calculating area of the at least one region of the tissue site.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising displaying the tissue site and identify the at least one region of the tissue site within the tissue healing stage on the displayed tissue site.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

comparing colors in the adjusted color image of the tissue site to a range of colors defining tissue type within a tissue healing stage; and

determine area of the tissue type within the tissue healing stage.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising repeating comparing and determining for multiple tissue healing stages.

21. A method for analyzing tissue healing, said method comprising:

capturing an image including a tissue site;

enabling a clinician to define multiple regions of the image of the tissue site, at least two of the regions of the image defining tissue type at different stages of tissue healing;

calculating an area of each of the at least two regions of the image defining tissue type at different stages of tissue healing; and

displaying the calculated areas.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein capturing further includes capturing a reference color marker, and further comprising:

adjusting the image of the reference color marker to a predetermined color; and

adjusting the image of the tissue site the same as the adjustment to the image of the reference color marker to color normalize the image of the tissue site.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein adjusting the image of the tissue site includes color normalizing the image of the tissue site.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising displaying indicia on the image of the tissue site to indicate the at least two regions of the image defining tissue type at different stages of tissue healing.

25. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

automatically identifying other regions of the image of the tissue site that have color substantially the same as color within a region defining tissue type at a stage of tissue healing; and

calculating area for each of the regions defining tissue type at the same stage of tissue healing.