A method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface

Abstract

This invention discloses a method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface, including providing a dedicated sampling film. The sampling film is printed with a fixed area of ​​grids, and one edge has an adhesive region. This invention uses a dedicated low-deformation sampling film with an adhesive region, which can be firmly adhered to normal skin to prevent displacement during sampling. Simultaneously, the low-deformation material ensures that the drawn lesion outline accurately reproduces the lesion morphology, solving the problems of low sampling accuracy caused by displacement and inconsistent deformation of existing alternative sampling films. This provides a precise basis for subsequent steps such as applicator transfer and cutting, ensuring accurate fit between the applicator and the lesion area, improving treatment efficacy. By using the fixed area grids on the sampling film as a reference, combined with contour recognition and accurate area calculation by auxiliary software, it not only provides accurate data support for clinical treatment evaluation but also avoids waste of medical resources or unnecessary medical expenses for patients due to area estimation errors, balancing medical efficacy and economic rationality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of skin treatment technology, specifically a method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface. Background Technology

[0002] Radionuclide application therapy is a common method for treating skin diseases such as keloids, hemangiomas, and neurodermatitis. Commonly used radionuclide drugs include aqueous solutions of phosphorus-32 and other radionuclides. These radionuclides release beta rays during their decay process. Because the effective irradiation depth of beta rays is 3-4 mm under the skin, most of the energy is absorbed by the superficial lesions, without damaging deeper tissues. It is a reliable, safe, painless, and low-recurrence-rate treatment method with broad prospects.

[0003] However, because these radioactive nuclides are radioactive, they cannot be directly applied to the body surface. Doing so would lead to radioactive leakage and contamination, further causing uncontrolled radiation exposure and unnecessary irradiation of normal tissues, resulting in treatment failure or a series of adverse reactions. Therefore, these radioactive nuclide drugs must be sealed in a specific manner and made into thin-film radioactive nuclide patches. These patches are then placed on the lesion site on the body surface to allow for brachytherapy of the affected tissue.

[0004] Therefore, the fabrication of the radionuclide applicator is crucial. The fabrication process involves the following steps:

[0005] 1. Sampling: Cover the lesion with a sampling membrane and draw the edge of the lesion on the sampling membrane with a pen.

[0006] 2. The outline of the lesion on the transfer and sampling membrane is transferred onto the special material used to make the dressing.

[0007] 3. Cutting: Cut the special material according to the outline of the lesion edge after transfer to obtain the dressing in the shape of the lesion.

[0008] 4. Drip the drug: Drip the radionuclide drug onto the absorbent layer of the special material.

[0009] 5. Seal the applicator containing the radionuclide drug using two layers of waterproof membrane to prevent leakage. This completes the fabrication of the radionuclide applicator.

[0010] The most crucial step in the manufacturing process is the first step: sampling. Inaccurate sampling will result in the applicator not fitting the lesion properly, thus affecting the treatment outcome.

[0011] The sampling process requires a sampling membrane.

[0012] I. Existing technologies do not use a dedicated sampling membrane in the sampling step, instead using other substitutes such as plastic wrap, laminated film, plastic bags, and plastic gloves. This has the following disadvantages:

[0013] 1. During the sampling process, it is necessary to hold the sampling membrane in one hand and draw the outline of the lesion edge with a pen in the other hand. Therefore, it is difficult to fix the sampling membrane and it is easy to shift, which affects the accuracy of the drawing.

[0014] 2. The existing alternative materials are not uniform in terms of material, and their softness, stretchability and other properties are inconsistent, which can cause inconsistent deformation and thus affect the accuracy of the drawing.

[0015] Second, existing sampling methods cannot accurately measure the area of ​​lesions. Currently, the area is generally estimated by measuring the length and width of the lesion with a ruler. However, if the lesion is irregular in shape, the estimated area will have a very large error. This consequently affects the economic income of medical institutions and the medical expenses of patients. Summary of the Invention

[0016] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface, so as to solve the problems in the background art mentioned above.

[0017] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface, comprising the following steps:

[0018] Step 1: Provide a special sampling film, which is printed with a grid of a fixed area and has an adhesive area on one edge;

[0019] Step 2: Adhere the adhesive area of ​​the sampling membrane to the normal skin around the lesion on the body surface, so that the sampling membrane covers the lesion area smoothly;

[0020] Step 3: Draw the lesion outline on the sampling membrane along the edge of the lesion;

[0021] Step 4: Take a photograph of the sampling membrane covering the outline of the lesion, ensuring that the grid of the sampling membrane is clearly visible in the photograph;

[0022] Step 5: Use auxiliary software to identify the lesion outline on the sampling membrane in the photo and extract the lesion shape;

[0023] Step 6: Using the fixed area grid on the sampling membrane as a reference, compare the shape of the lesion with the coverage relationship of the grid to calculate the lesion area.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the area of ​​a single grid cell with a fixed area in step 1 is 0.1 cm², 0.5 cm², or 1 cm².

[0025] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sampling membrane in step 1 is made of a low-deformation polymer material with a deformation rate ≤5% under a tensile force of 20-50N.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in step 4, the sampling film is kept without wrinkles or stretching during the shooting process, and the shooting direction is perpendicular to the plane of the sampling film.

[0027] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the recognition process of the auxiliary software in step 5 includes: edge detection, contour extraction, denoising processing and shape regularization, wherein the denoising processing uses a Gaussian filtering algorithm to remove the burr interference of the drawn lines.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the area calculation method in step 6 is as follows: count the number of complete grids within the lesion outline and calculate the total area based on the area of ​​a single grid; count the number of incomplete grids within the lesion outline and calculate the area based on their pixel ratio; sum the areas of complete grids and the calculated areas of incomplete grids to obtain the total area of ​​the lesion.

[0029] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the width of the adhesive area in step 1 is 0.5-2cm, the adhesive strength is sufficient to fix the sampling membrane after repeated pasting 3-5 times, and no adhesive residue remains on the skin after removal.

[0030] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the grid in step 1 is a square or a regular hexagon, the width of the boundary line between adjacent grids is ≤0.1mm, and the boundary line is printed with high-contrast colors.

[0031] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, step 4 uses a shooting device, which needs to be aligned with the grid boundary of the sampling membrane during shooting to complete the shooting ratio calibration.

[0032] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in step 6, the auxiliary software automatically outputs the lesion area measurement results with a measurement error of ≤3%, and the output report includes the lesion outline image, grid reference comparison diagram and specific area value.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0034] 1. This invention uses a special low-deformation sampling membrane with an adhesive area, which can be firmly adhered to normal skin to avoid displacement during sampling. At the same time, the low-deformation material ensures that the drawn lesion outline accurately reproduces the lesion morphology, solving the problem of low sampling accuracy caused by easy displacement and inconsistent deformation of the substitute sampling membrane in the prior art. This provides a precise basis for subsequent steps such as applicator transfer and cutting, ensuring that the applicator accurately matches the lesion area and improves the treatment effect.

[0035] 2. In this invention, a fixed area grid on the sampling membrane is used as a reference. Combined with the contour recognition and accurate area calculation of auxiliary software, it not only provides accurate data support for clinical treatment evaluation, but also avoids the waste of medical resources or unnecessary medical expenses for patients caused by area estimation errors, thus balancing medical efficacy and economic rationality. Detailed Implementation

[0038] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or a connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances. "Multiple" means two or more, and unless otherwise explicitly limited, all such meanings fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0039] Example 1: Measurement of the area of ​​skin scar lesions on the body surface

[0040] 1. Preparation: Select a special sampling membrane made of low-deformation polymer material. This sampling membrane is printed with square grids, each with an area of ​​1 cm². The grids can also be honeycomb or rectangular. The boundary line width between adjacent grids is 0.08 mm, and the boundary lines are printed with a high-contrast black color. One edge of the sampling membrane has a 1 cm wide adhesive area. The adhesive strength of this area is sufficient to fix the sampling membrane after repeated application four times, and to leave no adhesive residue on the skin after removal. Also prepare a smartphone with ruler calibration function as the shooting device, and auxiliary measurement software equipped with edge detection, contour extraction, and Gaussian filtering noise reduction modules.

[0041] 2. Measurement steps:

[0042] Step 1: Apply the adhesive area of ​​the special sampling membrane to the normal skin around the scar on the patient's lower limb. Gently smooth the sampling membrane to ensure that it covers the scar lesion area flatly, without wrinkles or stretching.

[0043] Step 2: Use a sterile marker to precisely draw the outline of the lesion on the sampling membrane along the edge of the skin scar.

[0044] Step 3: During operation, to prevent interference from the background color of the sampling membrane, the sampling membrane will first be placed on a white paper or other light-colored background. Then, the ruler calibration function of the smartphone will be turned on, and the phone ruler will be aligned with the grid boundary of the sampling membrane to complete the shooting ratio calibration. Then, keep the shooting direction perpendicular to the plane of the sampling membrane and take a photo of the sampling membrane covering the outline of the scar lesion to ensure that the grid of the sampling membrane is clearly distinguishable in the photo.

[0045] Step 4: Import the captured photos into the auxiliary measurement software. The software automatically performs edge detection and contour extraction, and then uses a Gaussian filtering algorithm to remove the burrs and interference of the drawn lines, completing the noise reduction and shape regularization, and accurately extracting the shape of the scar lesion.

[0046] Step 5: The software uses a 1cm² square grid on the sampling membrane as a reference to compare the shape of the scar lesion with the coverage of the grid. It counts the number of complete grids within the lesion outline and counts the total value at 1cm² / grid. It also counts the number of incomplete grids within the lesion outline and calculates the area based on their pixel ratio. Finally, it sums the areas of complete grids and the calculated areas of incomplete grids to obtain the total area of ​​the scar lesion.

[0047] Step 6: The software automatically outputs the lesion area measurement results and a measurement report. The report includes the outline image of the scar lesion, a grid reference comparison map, and the specific area value. After verification, the measurement error was 2.1%.

[0048] Beneficial Effects: This embodiment targets common skin lesions such as skin scars. By selecting a low-deformation, low-residue adhesive sampling membrane suitable for skin adhesion, it ensures the stability of the sampling membrane and the safety to the skin during the measurement process, avoiding secondary stimulation of the scar lesion area. The use of a 1cm² large-size square grid with ruler calibration simplifies the measurement operation process and reduces the operational difficulty for non-professional medical personnel. The auxiliary software's Gaussian filtering noise reduction and accurate area conversion algorithm ensure the accuracy of the measurement results (error of only 2.1% ≤ 3%). The output complete measurement report can be directly used for disease recording and treatment evaluation, providing reliable data support for monitoring the condition of skin scars and adjusting treatment plans. Clinical Application Standard: The clinically acceptable error for measuring the area of ​​skin lesions is ≤ 5% (refer to the "Guidelines for Clinical Measurement of Dermatology"). This solution, through triple optimization of "grid benchmark calibration + Gaussian filtering noise reduction + incomplete grid pixel conversion," controls the error within 3%, which is superior to the industry standard.

[0049] Error source analysis: Experimental verification shows that the error mainly comes from three parts: grid deformation error (≤0.5%), perspective error (≤1%), and incomplete grid conversion error (≤1.5%). The total error after the three are added together is ≤3%, ensuring the reliability of the measurement results.

[0050] Technical feasibility: Existing image recognition algorithms (such as OpenCV's contour extraction module) have a pixel recognition accuracy of ≥99% in high-contrast images. With the help of grid reference calibration, this error control target can be achieved.

[0051] Example 2: Measurement of the area of ​​neurodermatitis lesions on the body surface

[0052] 1. Preparation: Select a special sampling membrane made of low-deformation polymer material. This sampling membrane is printed with a regular hexagonal grid with an area of ​​0.5 cm² per cell, and the boundary line width between adjacent cells is 0.05 mm. The boundary lines are printed in a high-contrast red color. One edge of the sampling membrane has an adhesive area with a width of 0.8 cm. The adhesive strength is sufficient to fix the sampling membrane after repeated pasting 5 times, and no adhesive residue is left on the skin after removal. Prepare a tablet computer with a ruler calibration function as the shooting device, as well as matching auxiliary measurement software.

[0053] 2. Measurement steps:

[0054] Step 1: Apply the adhesive area of ​​the special sampling membrane to the normal skin around the neurodermatitis on the patient's lower back. Because the skin on the lower back has a certain curvature, focus on smoothing the area where the sampling membrane adheres to the skin during application to ensure the membrane tightly covers the neurodermatitis lesion area without wrinkles or stretching. Utilizing the low deformation characteristics of the sampling membrane (deformation rate ≤5% under 20-50N tension) to adapt to the curvature of the body surface, the membrane's dimensional deformation does not exceed 5% of its original size when subjected to a 20-50N tension (equivalent to the force of a light pull on an adult's skin). Operational requirements: The sampling membrane needs to be slightly stretched to conform to the skin's curvature (such as joints and neck) during application. Insufficient tension can cause wrinkles, while excessive tension may damage the skin. 20-50N is the range of tension that human skin can comfortably withstand (refer to the "Skin Biomechanical Testing Standards").

[0055] Precision control: If the deformation rate is >5%, the actual area of ​​the grid will deviate from the nominal value (e.g., a 1cm² grid may become 1.06cm² after deformation), resulting in accumulated area calculation errors; experimental verification shows that when the deformation rate is ≤5%, the grid area deviation is ≤0.5%, which can be ignored in terms of its impact on the final measurement result;

[0056] Material matching: The typical deformation characteristics of low-deformation polymer materials (such as PET and TPU) are 2%-4% at 20-50N. This parameter setting matches the material properties to ensure technical feasibility.

[0057] Step 2: Use a fine-tipped marker to carefully draw the outline of the lesion on the sampling membrane along the edge of the neurodermatitis, avoiding missing any areas scattered around the edge of the neurodermatitis.

[0058] Step 3: During operation, to prevent interference from the background color of the sampling film, the sampling film will first be placed on a white paper or other light-colored background. Then, the ruler calibration function of the smartphone will be turned on, and the shooting direction will be kept perpendicular to the plane of the sampling film. Take a photo of the sampling film covering the outline of the neurodermatitis lesions, and ensure that all the outlines and grids corresponding to the neurodermatitis in the photo are clearly distinguishable.

[0059] Step 4: Import the photo into the auxiliary measurement software. The software will perform edge detection and contour extraction in sequence, and remove the jagged edges of the drawn lines and the interference scattered on the edge of the neurodermatitis through Gaussian filtering algorithm to complete the noise reduction and shape regularization, and accurately extract the overall lesion shape of neurodermatitis.

[0060] Step 5: The software uses a 0.5cm² regular hexagonal grid as a reference to compare the shape of the neurodermatitis lesion with the coverage relationship of the grid. It counts the number of complete grids within the outline and counts the total value at 0.5cm² / grid. It also counts the number of incomplete grids and calculates the area based on the pixel ratio. The total area of ​​the neurodermatitis lesion is obtained by summing the results.

[0061] Step 6: The software automatically outputs the measurement results. The measurement error for this measurement is 1.8% ≤ 3%. The software also outputs a measurement report that includes the outline image of neurodermatitis, a grid reference comparison image, and the specific area value.

[0062] Beneficial Effects: This embodiment addresses the characteristics of neurodermatitis, which is scattered, irregular, and may be distributed in curved areas of the body surface. It utilizes a small 0.5cm² regular hexagonal grid to improve the measurement accuracy for irregular, small-area lesions. The low-deformation properties and adaptable adhesive design of the sampling membrane allow it to closely conform to the curved skin of the lower back, avoiding stretching or wrinkling caused by the curvature of the body surface and ensuring the accuracy of contour drawing. The high-contrast red boundary line facilitates grid identification against a skin-toned background, and the ruler calibration further enhances measurement accuracy. The measurement process is gentle and does not irritate the neurodermatitis lesion area. The detailed output report clearly presents the extent and area changes of neurodermatitis, providing accurate data for assessing the condition and determining treatment effectiveness. It also simplifies the clinical measurement process and improves the work efficiency of medical personnel. For those skilled in the art, it is obvious that this invention is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be regarded as exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the claims be included within the invention.

Claims

1. A method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Step 1: Provide a special sampling film, which is printed with a grid of a fixed area and has an adhesive area on one edge; Step 2: Adhere the adhesive area of ​​the sampling membrane to the normal skin around the lesion on the body surface, so that the sampling membrane covers the lesion area smoothly; Step 3: Draw the lesion outline on the sampling membrane along the edge of the lesion; Step 4: Take a photograph of the sampling membrane covering the outline of the lesion, ensuring that the grid of the sampling membrane is clearly visible in the photograph; Step 5: Use auxiliary software to identify the lesion outline on the sampling membrane in the photo and extract the lesion shape; Step 6: Using the fixed area grid on the sampling membrane as a reference, compare the shape of the lesion with the coverage relationship of the grid to calculate the lesion area.

2. The method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, The area of ​​a single grid cell with a fixed area, as described in step 1, is 0.1 cm², 0.5 cm², or 1 cm².

3. The method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sampling membrane mentioned in step 1 is made of a low-deformation polymer material with a deformation rate ≤5% under a tensile force of 20-50N.

4. The method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 4, when taking the picture, keep the sampling film free of wrinkles and stretching, and the shooting direction is perpendicular to the plane of the sampling film.

5. The method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, The recognition process of the auxiliary software in step 5 includes edge detection, contour extraction, denoising and shape regularization. The denoising process uses a Gaussian filtering algorithm to remove the burrs and interference of the drawn lines.

6. The method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 6, the area is calculated as follows: count the number of complete grids within the lesion outline and calculate the total area based on the area of ​​a single grid; count the number of incomplete grids within the lesion outline and calculate the area based on their pixel percentage; sum the areas of complete grids and the calculated areas of incomplete grids to obtain the total area of ​​the lesion.

7. The method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the adhesive area mentioned in step 1 is 0.5-2cm, and the adhesive strength is sufficient to fix the sampling membrane after repeated pasting 3-5 times, and no adhesive residue is left on the skin after removal.

8. The method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 1, the width of the boundary line between adjacent grids is ≤0.1mm, and the boundary line is printed with high-contrast colors.

9. The method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 4, an imaging device is used. Before taking the picture, it needs to be aligned with the grid boundary of the sampling membrane to complete the imaging ratio calibration.

10. The method for measuring the area of ​​lesions on the body surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 6, the auxiliary software automatically outputs the lesion area measurement results with a measurement error of ≤3%, and the output report includes the lesion outline image, grid reference comparison map and specific area value.