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New 3D camera is accurate in measuring foot ulcers

Line Bisgaard Jørgensen has just completed her PhD, which aimed to validate the effect of a specially developed 3D camera to film and monitor the healing of foot ulcers in diabetics.

Foot ulcers are a serious complication with the risk of the foot having to be amputated, and 19-34% of diabetics get diabetic foot ulcers. Over recent years, several three-dimensional (3D) measurement devices have been developed that have the potential to assess wound healing from a volume perspective, but none of these devices were used routinely in the clinic because they were imprecise, expensive, or difficult to use.

Therefore, for a number of years, OUH has collaborated with the company Teccluster to develop the 3D camera 3D-Wound Assessment Monitor (WAM), which can measure the wound size in three dimensions. In Line's project, she has investigated the effects of the camera by comparing the measurement of wounds with the camera to traditional wound measurement methods (2D area and volume). The results showed that the 3D camera was reliable in measuring the wound size, especially the area of ​​the wound base and the circumference. In addition, the study showed that the 3D wound measurements were comparable to the traditional wound measurement methods in relation to the 2D area (wound surface) and volume.

ACCURATE AND RELIABLE MEASURING METHOD

Line monitored the wound healing of 150 diabetic foot ulcers using the 3D-WAM camera and compared with the traditional 2D imaging method over a period of eight weeks. It was found that the wounds healed significantly faster estimated from the 3D area (3D-WAM camera) compared to the 2D area (2D image method). This can be explained by the fact that the changes in the 3D area are both an expression of wound healing from the wound base as well as from the wound edges, whereas the changes in the 2D area are only an expression of wound healing from the wound edges. However, the difference between the changes in 2D area and 3D area was not as great for smaller wounds of less than five cm2, because these wounds are often superficial and therefore the 2D and 3D measurements reflect the same process.

Line's research concludes that the 3D camera is an accurate and reliable measurement method for wounds and can show even small changes in the wound healing process. In addition, the 3D camera can be used to monitor the healing of diabetic foot ulcers, especially for larger ulcers with an area of ​​more than five cm2.

It is important to be able to assess whether the wound healing is progressing satisfactorily, so that adjustments can be made in the treatment at an early stage.

The 3D camera used in the study is a new technology developed at OUH in collaboration with the company Teccluster and is not yet available on the market. Therefore, the solution is not being put into operation at this time. Line's research has shown that there is clinical evidence to further develop the technology and make it market-ready in both design and price.

Read more about the project here.

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