A system for assessing or predicting wound status and a method for operating a device to detect cell survival or damage, collagen degeneration, skin appendage damage or necrosis, and / or vascular damage after a burn occurs in a subject.

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for assessing or predicting the condition of a wound, such as a burn. The system may include at least one light-detecting element and one or more processors configured to receive signals from the at least one light-detecting element indicative of light reflected from a tissue region; create an image having a plurality of pixels representing the tissue region; and determine a burn condition of a subset of pixels in the image using one or more deep learning algorithms. The system may be further configured to create a pixel-by-pixel classified image of the tissue site and / or determine a prediction score associated with healing of the wound.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 051,308, filed July 13, 2020, entitled "Spectral Imaging System and Method for Histological Assessment of Wounds," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT The inventions described in this disclosure were made in part with U.S. Government support awarded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Contract No. HHSO100201300022C. The inventions described in this disclosure were also made in part with U.S. Government support awarded by the Defense Health Agency (DHA) under Contract No. W81XWH-17-C-0170 and / or Contract No. W81XWH-18-C-0114. The U.S. Government may own certain rights in this invention.

[0003] The systems and methods disclosed herein relate to spectral imaging, and more particularly to systems and methods for histological assessment of wounds based on spectral imaging. [Background technology]

[0004] The electromagnetic spectrum is a band of wavelengths or frequencies of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., light). From longest to shortest wavelengths, the electromagnetic spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared light (IR), visible light (i.e., light detectable by structures in the human eye), ultraviolet light (UV), x-rays, and gamma rays. Spectral imaging also refers to a branch of spectroscopy and photography that collects partial or complete spectra of spectral information at various locations in an image plane. A multispectral imaging system can image multiple spectral bands (usually a dozen or less spectral bands, each in a different spectral region) and collect measurements in the spectral bands for each pixel, and can refer to a bandwidth of tens of nm per spectral channel. On the other hand, a hyperspectral imaging system can measure many more spectral bands, e.g., 200 or more spectral bands, and some types of hyperspectral imaging systems can continuously sample narrow bands (e.g., spectral bandwidth of a few nm or less) along a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The multispectral imaging systems and techniques disclosed herein have several features, none of which can achieve the desired characteristics without the aid of others. Certain features of the spectral imaging disclosed herein are briefly described below, but the following description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. Those skilled in the art will appreciate how the features of the spectral imaging disclosed herein provide advantages over conventional systems and methods.

[0006] In a first aspect, The system for assessing or predicting wound status comprises: at least one light detecting element configured to collect light of at least a first wavelength reflected from a tissue region including a burn; and One or more processors in communication with the at least one light detecting element. Including, the one or more processors: receiving a signal from the at least one light detecting element indicative of light at a first wavelength reflected from the tissue region; generating an image having a plurality of pixels representative of the tissue region based on the signals; measuring a reflectance intensity value for each pixel at a first wavelength based on the signal for at least a subset of the plurality of pixels; determining a burn status corresponding to each pixel of the subset of pixels representing the tissue region using at least one deep learning algorithm; generating a pixel-by-pixel classified image based at least in part on the determined burn status corresponding to each pixel of the subset of pixels representing the tissue region and the image; It is structured as follows.

[0007] In some embodiments, the pixel-by-pixel classified image includes pixels having different visual indications depending on the determined burn status corresponding to each pixel.

[0008] In some embodiments, the one or more processors are further configured to visually display the pixel-wise classified image.

[0009] In some embodiments, the burn state corresponding to each pixel is selected from a non-healing burn state and a healing burn state.

[0010] In some embodiments, the burn status corresponding to each pixel is a status related to burn depth, hi some embodiments, the burn status corresponding to each pixel is selected from a first degree burn status, a superficial second degree burn status, a deep second degree burn status, and a third degree burn status.

[0011] In some embodiments, the burn condition is determined according to the extent of necrosis of skin appendages in at least a portion of the burn. In some embodiments, determining the burn condition corresponding to each pixel of the subset of pixels representing the tissue region comprises identifying a percentage of necrosis of skin appendages in at least a portion of the burn. In some embodiments, the non-healing burn condition corresponds to a percentage of necrosis of the skin appendages greater than 50.0%. In some embodiments, the non-healing burn condition corresponds to a percentage of necrosis of the skin appendages greater than 0.0%.

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least one deep learning algorithm comprises a convolutional neural network. In some embodiments, the convolutional neural network comprises SegNet.

[0013] In some embodiments, the at least one deep learning algorithm comprises an ensemble of multiple deep learning algorithms. In some embodiments, the at least one deep learning algorithm comprises a weighted average ensemble. In some embodiments, the at least one deep learning algorithm comprises a true positive rate (TPR) weighted ensemble.

[0014] In some embodiments, the at least one deep learning algorithm is trained with a database of wounds, hi some embodiments, the database of wounds comprises a database of burn wounds.

[0015] In some embodiments, the at least one deep learning algorithm is trained based at least in part on a plurality of truth masks, at least in part on the presence or absence of necrosis of skin appendages in biopsy samples of burn tissue.

[0016] In some embodiments, the one or more processors are further configured to determine a prediction score associated with healing of the burn within a predetermined time period after creation of the image based at least in part on the determined burn condition corresponding to each pixel of the subset of pixels representing the tissue region. In some embodiments, the prediction score indicates a probability of healing without surgery or skin grafting. In some embodiments, the predetermined time period is 21 days.

[0017] In a second aspect, a method for detecting cell survival or damage, collagen degeneration, skin appendage damage or necrosis, and / or vascular damage in a subject after a wound, preferably a burn, has occurred comprises the steps of: selecting a subject having a wound, preferably a burn; imaging an area of ​​the wound, preferably a burn, with a multispectral imaging system according to any of the preceding aspects; evaluating the image data obtained in the previous step using a deep learning algorithm trained on a database of wounds, preferably a database of burns; Indicating in an imaged area of ​​the wound, preferably a burn, whether the cells of the wound are viable or damaged, whether collagen is denatured, whether skin appendages are damaged or necrotic, and / or whether blood vessels are damaged; and Optionally, providing a predictive score predicting the likelihood that the wound, preferably a burn, will heal within a defined time period, preferably 21 to 30 days, without extensive treatment such as surgery or skin grafting. Includes.

[0018] In some embodiments, the damaged skin appendages being evaluated include hair follicles, sebaceous glands, apocrine glands, and / or eccrine sweat glands.

[0019] In some embodiments, the assessment of cell survival or damage, collagen degeneration, dermal appendage damage or necrosis and / or vascular damage in the subject is performed in the papillary layer region of the skin.

[0020] In some embodiments, the assessment of cell survival or damage, collagen degeneration, dermal appendage damage or necrosis and / or vascular damage in the subject is performed in the reticular dermis of the skin.

[0021] In some embodiments, the assessment of cell survival or damage, collagen degeneration, dermal appendage damage or necrosis and / or vascular damage in the subject is performed at a site deeper than the reticular dermis of the skin.

[0022] In some embodiments, hyalinized collagen is detectable or individual collagen fibers are indistinguishable.

[0023] In some embodiments, the cellular damage is cellular swelling, cytoplasmic vacuolization, or nuclear pyknosis.

[0024] In some embodiments, if 50% or more of the analyzed skin appendages are identified as damaged or necrotic, a predictive score is provided predicting a non-healing burn, and optionally, the subject is instructed to undergo advanced medical treatment, such as skin grafting or surgery, or the subject is subjected to skin grafting or surgery.

[0025] In some embodiments, the deep learning algorithm is trained using stochastic gradient descent with momentum optimization and cross-entropy error.

[0026] In some embodiments, the deep learning algorithm is selected from SegNet, SegNet regularized with filter bank, SegNet with auxiliary loss, U-Net, augmented fully connected neural network (dFCN), average ensemble, true positive rate (TPR) weighted ensemble, and weighted average ensemble.

[0027] In some embodiments, the deep learning algorithm is SegNet. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1A] 1 shows an example of light entering a filter at various chief ray angles of incidence.

[0029] [Figure 1B] 1B is a graph showing an example of the transmission efficiency obtained from the filter of FIG. 1A through which light is transmitted at various chief ray angles of incidence.

[0030] [Figure 2A] 1 shows an example of a multispectral image data cube.

[0031] [Figure 2B] An example is shown of how a particular multispectral imaging technique generates the data cube of FIG. 2A.

[0032] [Figure 2C] 2B shows an example of a snapshot-type imaging system capable of generating the data cube of FIG. 2A.

[0033] [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the optical design of an example of a multi-aperture imaging system with curved multi-bandpass filters according to the present disclosure.

[0034] [Figure 3B-3D]3B shows an example of an optical design of optical components that constitute one optical path of the multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIG. 3A.

[0035] [Figure 4A-4E] 3A and 3B illustrate an embodiment of a multispectral, multiaperture imaging system having the optical design described in connection with FIG.

[0036] [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a multispectral, multiaperture imaging system with the optical design described in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0037] [Figures 6A-6C] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a multispectral, multiaperture imaging system with the optical design described in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0038] [Figure 7A-7B] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a multispectral, multiaperture imaging system with the optical design described in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0039] [Figure 8A-8B] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a multispectral, multiaperture imaging system with the optical design described in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0040] [Figure 9A-9C] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a multispectral, multiaperture imaging system with the optical design described in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0041] [Figure 10A-10B] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a multispectral, multiaperture imaging system with the optical design described in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0042] [Figure 11A-11B] An example of a set of frequency bands that can pass through the filter of the multispectral multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIGS. 3A to 10B is shown.

[0043] [Figure 12] A schematic block diagram of an imaging system that can be used in the multispectral multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIGS. 3A to 10B is shown.

[0044] [Figure 13] It is a flowchart showing an example of a process of capturing image data using the multispectral multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIGS. 3A to 10B.

[0045] [Figure 14] For example, a schematic block diagram of a workflow for processing image data such as image data captured using the multispectral multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIGS. 3A to 10B and / or using the process shown in FIG. 13 is shown.

[0046] [Figure 15] For example, parallax and parallax correction for processing image data such as image data captured using the multispectral multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIGS. 3A to 10B and / or using the process shown in FIG. 13 are illustrated.

[0047] [Figure 16] For example, a workflow for classifying multispectral image data such as image data processed according to FIGS. 14 and 15 after being captured using the multispectral multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIGS. 3A to 10B and / or using the process shown in FIG. 13 is illustrated on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

[0048] [Figure 17]A simplified block diagram of an example of a distributed computing system including the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system shown in Figures 3A to 10B is shown.

[0049] [Figures 18A-18C] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a portable multispectral, multiaperture imaging system.

[0050] [Figure 19A-19B] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a portable multispectral, multiaperture imaging system.

[0051] [Figure 20A-20B] An example of a multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system for a compact USB 3.0 camera housed in a standard camera housing is shown.

[0052] [Figure 21] An example of a multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system that includes an additional light source to improve image alignment is shown.

[0053] [Fig. 22A-22B] 1 shows an example of two decision trees for analyzing burn lesions.

[0054] [Figure 23] An example of two classification problems for quantifying dermal appendage necrosis in skin is presented.

[0055] [Figure 24] 13 illustrates imaging and creation of a truth mask for analyzing burn lesions.

[0056] [Diagram 25] An example of how to obtain the output of the DeepView device in the analysis of burn lesions is shown.

[0057] [Figure 26]1 shows sample output from several types of machine learning algorithms for burn wound histology.

[0058] [Figure 27A-27B] 1 shows an example of a percentage accuracy accuracy metric associated with histological analysis using the spectral imaging systems and methods described herein.

[0059] [Figure 28] 1 shows an example of the anatomy of the skin.

[0060] [Figure 29] 1 shows the logic flow used to assess thermal injury and burn severity.

[0061] [Figures 30A-30C] An example of a method for developing and training an algorithm for histological assessment of wounds based on spectral imaging is presented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0062] As outlined herein, the present disclosure relates to spectral imaging using a multi-aperture system with curved multi-bandpass filters positioned above each aperture. The present disclosure also relates to techniques for implementing spectral unmixing and image registration to generate a spectral data cube using image information received from such imaging systems. The techniques of the present disclosure address various challenges typically found in spectral imaging in obtaining image data that show accurate information about the wavelength bands reflected from the object being imaged, as described below. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein can obtain images of a large area of ​​tissue (e.g., 5.9×7.9 inches) in a short time (e.g., within 6 seconds) and can achieve this without the need for injection of imaging contrast agents. In some embodiments, for example, the multispectral imaging systems described herein are configured to acquire images from a large area of ​​tissue, e.g., 5.9×7.9 inches, in 6 seconds or less, and provide tissue analysis information, such as identification of multiple burn conditions, multiple wound conditions, or healing potential; or clinical characteristics including cancerous or non-cancerous status of the imaged tissue, wound depth, debridement margin, and presence of diabetic, non-diabetic, or chronic ulcers, in the absence of imaging contrast agents. Similarly, in some of the methods described herein, the multispectral imaging systems of the present invention can acquire images from a large area of ​​tissue, e.g., 5.9×7.9 inches, in 6 seconds or less, and provide tissue analysis information, such as identification of multiple burn conditions, multiple wound conditions, or healing potential; or clinical characteristics including cancerous or non-cancerous status of the imaged tissue, wound depth, debridement margin, and presence of diabetic, non-diabetic, or chronic ulcers, in the absence of imaging contrast agents.

[0063] One of the challenges with existing solutions is that the colors of the captured image can be distorted, compromising the quality of the image data. This can be especially problematic in applications that rely on the use of optical filters to accurately detect and analyze specific wavelengths of light. More specifically, color shading is a change in the wavelength of light as it passes through the image sensor area, as the angle of incidence of light on the color filter increases, the shorter the wavelength of light that passes through the color filter. Typically, this effect is observed in interference filters, which are fabricated by stacking multiple thin layers of different refractive indexes on a transparent substrate. Thus, longer wavelengths (such as red light) have a larger angle of incidence of light rays and are therefore more likely to be blocked at the edge of the image sensor, resulting in incident light of the same wavelength being detected as a spatially non-uniform color as it passes through the image sensor. Without image correction, color shading appears as a change in color near the edge of the captured image.

[0064] The disclosed technology is advantageous over other multispectral imaging systems on the market because it is not limited in lens and / or image sensor configuration and their field of view or aperture size. As one skilled in the art would appreciate, changes to the lenses, image sensors, aperture sizes, or other components of the imaging systems disclosed herein may include other adjustments to the imaging system. The disclosed technology is also an improvement over other multispectral imaging systems in that components that perform wavelength splitting or utilize the entire imaging system (e.g., optical filters, etc.) can be separated from components that convert light energy to digital output (e.g., image sensors, etc.). This can reduce cost, simplify, and / or reduce development time to reconfigure the imaging system for different multispectral wavelengths. The disclosed technology is also believed to be more robust than other multispectral imaging systems in that it can achieve imaging characteristics comparable to other multispectral imaging systems on the market in a smaller and lighter form factor. The disclosed techniques are also advantageous over other multispectral imaging systems in that they can acquire multispectral images at snapshot, video or high-speed video rates. The disclosed techniques can also multiplex several spectral bands into each aperture, reducing the number of apertures required to acquire a particular number of spectral bands in an imaging data set, and can provide a more robust implementation of multispectral imaging systems based on multi-aperture technology due to cost savings from the reduced number of apertures and improved light collection (e.g., commercially available sensor arrays can use larger apertures that fit into fixed sizes and dimensions). Moreover, the disclosed techniques can provide all of these advantages without compromising on resolution or image quality.

[0065] FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a filter 108 positioned along a light path toward an image sensor 110, and light incident on the filter 108 at various ray incidence angles. Rays 102A, 104A, and 106A are shown as lines passing through the filter 108 and then refracted by a lens 112 onto the sensor 110. The lens 112 may be replaced with other image forming optics, such as, but not limited to, a mirror and / or an aperture. In FIG. 1A, the light in each ray is considered broadband, e.g., light having a spectral composition in a wide wavelength range, and only light of a particular wavelength is selectively transmitted by the filter 108. The three rays 102A, 104A, and 106A are incident on the filter 108 at different angles of incidence. For purposes of illustration, light ray 102A is shown as being substantially normal incidence on filter 108, light ray 104A has a larger angle of incidence than light ray 102A, and light ray 106A has a larger angle of incidence than light ray 104A. Each light ray 102B, 104B, 106B that passes through the filter exhibits a unique spectrum due to the angle-of-incidence-dependent transmission characteristics of filter 108, which are detected by sensor 110. This angle-of-incidence-dependent effect causes a shift in the bandpass characteristics of filter 108, with shorter wavelengths as the angle of incidence increases. Furthermore, the angle-of-incidence dependence may reduce the transmission efficiency of filter 108 and may change the spectral shape of the bandpass characteristics of filter 108. This combined effect is referred to as angle-of-incidence-dependent spectral transmission. FIG. 1B shows the spectrum of each of the rays of FIG. 1A detected by a spectrometer assumed to be at the sensor 110, illustrating the shift in the spectrum of the bandpass characteristic of the filter 108 as the angle of incidence increases. Curves 102C, 104C, and 106C show the center wavelength of the bandpass characteristic becoming shorter, and therefore the wavelength of the light emitted from the optical system in this example becoming shorter. As shown in this figure, the spectral shape of the bandpass characteristic and the transmittance peak also change with the angle of incidence. In certain consumer applications, image processing can be performed to remove the visible effects of such angle-dependent spectral transmission.However, such post-processing techniques cannot recover the exact wavelengths of light that actually entered filter 108. Thus, the resulting image data may not be usable for certain high precision applications.

[0066] Another challenge faced by certain existing spectral imaging systems is the time required to capture a complete spectral image data set, which is discussed in relation to Figures 2A and 2B. A spectral image sensor acquires the spectral irradiance I(x,y,λ) of a particular scene and collects a three-dimensional (3D) data set, commonly referred to as a data cube. Figure 2A shows an example of a spectral image data cube 120. As shown in this figure, the data cube 120 represents three-dimensional image data, where two spatial dimensions (x and y) correspond to the two-dimensional (2D) surface of the image sensor, and the spectral dimension (λ) corresponds to a particular wavelength range. The size of the data cube 120 is N x N y N λ and N x and N y is the number of sample points in each spatial dimension (x, y), and N λ is the number of sample points along the spectral axis λ. Because the data cube has a higher dimensionality than currently available 2D detector arrays (e.g., image sensors), a typical spectral imaging system simultaneously measures all sample points of the data cube 120 by taking time-sequential 2D slices (i.e., planes) of the data cube 120 (referred to herein as a "scanning" imaging system) or by dividing the data cube 120 during computation to obtain multiple two-dimensional data that can be reintegrated into the data cube 120 (referred to herein as a "snapshot" imaging system).

[0067] FIG. 2B shows an example of how a particular scanning spectral imaging technique generates data cube 120. Specifically, FIG. 2B shows portions 132, 134, and 136 of data cube 120 that can be collected in one detector integration time. A point-scanning spectrometer can, for example, image portion 132 that extends across the spectral plane λ at one spatial location (x,y). A point-scanning spectrometer can build data cube 120 by performing multiple integrations for each (x,y) location in the spatial dimensions. A filter wheel imaging system can, for example, image portion 134 that extends across spatial dimensions x and y but is located in only a single spectral plane λ. A wavelength-scanning imaging system, such as a filter wheel imaging system, can build data cube 120 by performing multiple integrations over the spectral plane λ. A line-scanning spectrometer can, for example, image portion 136 that extends across the entire spectral dimension λ and across one of the spatial dimensions (x or y) but is located at only one point in the other spatial dimension (y or x). A line-scan spectrometer can construct a data cube 120 by performing multiple integrations over the position of one of the spatial dimensions (y or x).

[0068] In applications where both the object and the imaging system are stationary (or relatively stationary during the exposure time), the scanning imaging systems described above provide the advantage of providing a high resolution data cube 120. Line-scan and wavelength-scanning imaging systems may provide this advantage by using the entire area of ​​the image sensor to capture each spectral or spatial image. However, motion of the imaging system and / or object between first and second exposures may result in artifacts in the resulting image data. For example, the same (x,y) location in the data cube 120 may actually represent a different physical location on the imaged object in the spectral dimension λ. Such artifacts may result in errors in subsequent analysis and / or the need for alignment (e.g., alignment of the spectral dimension λ so that a particular (x,y) location corresponds to the same physical location on the object).

[0069] In contrast, a snapshot imaging system 140 can capture the entire datacube 120 in one integration time or exposure, thus avoiding the effects of motion on image quality. FIG. 2C shows an example of an image sensor 142 and an optical filter array 144 (such as a color filter array (CFA)) that can be used to create a snapshot imaging system. In this example, the color filter array (CFA) 144 is a repeating pattern of color filter units 146 arranged on the surface of the image sensor 142. This method of obtaining spectral information can also be called a multispectral filter array (MSFA) or a spectrally resolved detector array (SRDA). In the example shown in this figure, the color filter unit 146 includes various color filters arranged in a 5×5 array, thereby generating 25 spectral channels in the resulting image data. The CFA can use various color filters to split the incoming light into bands for each color filter and direct the split light to the photoreceptors of each color on the image sensor. In this way, for a given color 148, only one of the 25 photoreceptors actually detects a signal indicative of light of that wavelength. Thus, with such a snapshot imaging system 140, 25 color channels may be generated in one exposure, but the amount of measurement data for each color channel is less than the total output of the image sensor 142. In some embodiments, the CFA may include a filter array (MSFA) and / or a spectrally resolved detector array (SRDA), and / or may include conventional Bayer filters, CMYK filters, or other absorptive or interferometric filters. One type of interferometric filter is a thin film filter array arranged in a grid, with each grid element corresponding to one or more sensor elements. Another type of interferometric filter is the Fabry-Perot filter.Nano-etched Fabry-Perot interference filters typically exhibit bandpass characteristics with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of about 20-50 nm, but are advantageous in some embodiments because they exhibit a small roll-off at the transition from the center wavelength of the filter passband to the stopband. In addition, such filters exhibit a low optical density (OD) in the stopband, which can improve sensitivity to light outside the passband. This combined effect allows these particular filters to be sensitive to spectral regions that would be blocked by the high roll-off of a similar FWHM high optical density interference filter constructed from multiple thin film layers deposited by coating deposition techniques such as evaporation or ion beam sputtering. In embodiments using dye-based CMYK filters or RGB-based (Bayer) filters, it is preferable to have a small spectral roll-off and a large FWHM in the passband of each individual filter, which allows for unique spectral transmission for each wavelength across the entire spectrum being observed.

[0070] Therefore, the data cube 120 obtained by the snapshot imaging system has one of the following two characteristics that can be problematic for high-precision imaging applications. First, the data cube 120 obtained by the snapshot imaging system has a size N larger than the (x, y) size of the detector array. x and N y The second problem is that the data cube 120 obtained by the snapshot imaging system has a lower resolution than the data cube 120 obtained by the scanning imaging system with the same image sensor because the size of the (x, y) position can be small. x and N y The dimensions of the (x,y) may be the same as the (x,y) dimensions of the detector array. However, if interpolation was used in generating the data cube, this means that any particular value in the data cube is not an actual measurement of the wavelength of light incident on the sensor, but an estimate of that measurement based on surrounding values.

[0071] Another existing component used in multispectral imaging with a single exposure is the multispectral imaging beamsplitter. In such imaging systems, a beamsplitter cube splits the incoming light into different color bands, each of which is observed by separate image sensors. Although the design of the beamsplitter can be modified to adjust the spectral bands measured, it is not easy to split the incoming light into more than four beams without compromising the performance of the imaging system. Thus, four spectral channels appears to be the practical limit of this approach. A closely related method splits the light using thin film filters instead of bulky beamsplitter cubes / prisms, but the cumulative transmission attenuation and spatial limitations of multiple successive filters limit this approach to about six spectral channels.

[0072] In some embodiments, the aforementioned challenges, among others, can be addressed by the multi-aperture spectral imaging system and associated image data processing techniques disclosed herein, which includes curved, multi-bandpass filters that selectively transmit light incident through each aperture. This particular configuration can achieve all of the design goals of fast imaging speed, high resolution images, and high fidelity of detection wavelength. Thus, the optical design and associated image data processing techniques disclosed herein can be used in portable spectral imaging systems and / or for imaging moving subjects and can obtain data cubes suitable for high precision applications (e.g., clinical tissue analysis, biometric authentication, and episodic clinical signs). Such high precision applications can include diagnosing the stage (0-3) of pre-metastatic malignant melanoma, classifying the severity of burns in skin tissue, or tissue diagnosis of the severity of diabetic foot ulcers. Thus, the snapshot spectral acquisition and small form factor described in some embodiments allows the present invention to be used in clinical settings dealing with transient events, including diagnosis of various types of retinopathies (e.g., non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration), as well as imaging of pediatric patients with high motion. Thus, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the use of the multi-aperture system with flat or curved multi-bandpass filters disclosed herein represents a significant technological advance over conventional spectral imaging implementations. More specifically, the multi-aperture system of the present invention may enable the collection of 3D spatial images of or relating to the curvature, depth, volume, and / or area of ​​an object based on the calculated perspective difference between each aperture. However, the multi-aperture method disclosed herein is not limited to any particular filter and may include flat and / or low-profile filters based on interference or absorption filtering.The invention disclosed herein can be modified to include flat filters in the image space of the imaging system when the angle of incidence to the appropriate lens or aperture is small or within the acceptable range. Filters may be placed at the entrance and / or exit pupil of the imaging lens or aperture stop, and such configurations would be readily employable by one skilled in the art of optical engineering.

[0073] Various aspects of the disclosure are described below with reference to specific examples and embodiments. These examples and embodiments are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the disclosure. While the examples and embodiments described herein focus on specific calculations and algorithms for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that these examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. For example, while some examples are provided with respect to multispectral imaging, the multi-aperture imaging systems and associated filters disclosed herein can be configured to perform hyperspectral imaging in other implementations. Furthermore, while certain examples are presented as achieving advantages in portable applications and / or applications with moving target objects, it will be appreciated that the imaging system designs and associated processing techniques disclosed herein can provide highly accurate data cubes suitable for fixed imaging systems and / or analysis of relatively stationary targets.

[0074] Overview of Electromagnetic Spectral Range and Image Sensors Reference is made herein to particular colors or portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and these wavelengths are hereinafter described as defined by ISO 21348, "Definitions of Irradiance Spectral Types." As will be described in more detail below, in certain imaging applications, wavelength ranges of particular colors may be passed collectively through particular filters.

[0075] Electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of 760 nm to 380 nm or about 760 nm to 380 nm is usually considered to be the "visible" spectrum, i.e., the portion of the spectrum that is perceptible by the color receptors of the human eye. In the visible spectrum, red light is usually considered to have a wavelength of 700 nm or about 700 nm, or to be in the range of 760 nm to 610 nm or about 760 nm to 610 nm. Orange light is usually considered to have a wavelength of 600 nm or about 600 nm, or to be in the range of 610 nm to 591 nm or about 610 nm to 591 nm. Yellow light is usually considered to have a wavelength of 580 nm or about 580 nm, or to be in the range of 591 nm to 570 nm or about 591 nm to 570 nm. Green light is usually considered to have a wavelength of 550 nm or about 550 nm, or in the range of 570 nm to 500 nm or about 570 nm to about 500 nm. Blue light is usually considered to have a wavelength of 475 nm or about 475 nm, or in the range of 500 nm to 450 nm or about 500 nm to about 450 nm. Purple (magenta) light is usually considered to have a wavelength of 400 nm or about 400 nm, or in the range of 450 nm to 360 nm or about 450 nm to about 360 nm.

[0076] Looking beyond the visible spectrum, infrared (IR) refers to electromagnetic radiation that has longer wavelengths than visible light and is generally not visible to the human eye. IR has wavelengths that extend from about 760 nm or about 1 mm to the nominal lower limit of the red visible spectrum, which is at 760 nm. Within this range, near infrared (NIR) refers to the portion of the spectrum adjacent to the red range, and is the wavelength range of about 760 nm to about 1400 nm or 760 nm to 1400 nm.

[0077] Ultraviolet (UV) light refers to a portion of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light and is generally invisible to the human eye. UV has wavelengths ranging from about 40 nm or the nominal lower limit of the visible spectrum at violet at 40 nm to about 400 nm. Within this range, near ultraviolet (NUV) refers to a portion of the spectrum adjacent to the violet range and has a wavelength range of about 400 nm to about 300 nm or 400 nm to 300 nm, mid ultraviolet (MUV) has a wavelength range of about 300 nm to about 200 nm or 300 nm to 200 nm, and far ultraviolet (FUV) has a wavelength range of about 200 nm to about 122 nm or 200 nm to 122 nm.

[0078] The image sensors described herein can be configured to detect electromagnetic radiation in any of the above ranges, depending on the particular wavelength range that is appropriate for a particular application. Typical silicon charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors have spectral sensitivity that spans the entire visible spectrum, but also most of the near infrared (IR) spectrum and parts of the UV spectrum. In some implementations, back-illuminated or front-illuminated CCD or CMOS arrays can additionally or alternatively be used. For applications requiring high signal-to-noise ratio and scientific-grade measurements, some implementations can additionally or alternatively use scientific complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (sCMOS) cameras or electronically multiplied CCD cameras (EMCCD). In other implementations, sensors known to operate in a particular color range (e.g., short-wave infrared (SWIR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR), or long-wave infrared (LWIR)) and corresponding optical filter arrays can additionally or alternatively be used, depending on the intended application. These sensors and optical filter arrays may additionally or alternatively comprise cameras based on detector materials such as indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) or indium antimony (InSb), or cameras based on microbolometer arrays.

[0079] The image sensor used in the multispectral imaging techniques disclosed herein may be used in conjunction with an optical filter array, such as a color filter array (CFA). Some types of CFAs can split the incident light into red (R), green (G) and blue (B) visible regions and direct the split visible light to dedicated red, green or blue photodiode photoreceptors on the image sensor. A common example of a CFA is the Bayer pattern, which is a color filter array that arranges RGB color filters in a specific pattern on a rectangular grid of photodetectors. The Bayer pattern is composed of 50% green, 25% red and 25% blue, with rows of repeated red and green color filters alternating with rows of repeated blue and green color filters. Some types of CFAs (e.g., CFAs for RGB-NIR sensors) can also split NIR light and direct the split NIR light to dedicated photodiode photoreceptors on the image sensor.

[0080] Thus, the wavelength range of the filter components of the CFA may determine the wavelength range that each image channel exhibits in the captured image. Thus, in various embodiments, the red channel of the image may correspond to the red wavelength range of the color filter, may include some yellow and orange light, and may range from about 570 nm to about 760 nm or from 570 nm to 760 nm. In various embodiments, the green channel of the image may correspond to the green wavelength range of the color filter, may include some yellow light, and may range from about 570 nm to about 480 nm or from 570 nm to 480 nm. In various embodiments, the blue channel of the image may correspond to the blue wavelength range of the color filter, may include some violet light, and may range from about 490 nm to about 400 nm or from 490 nm to 400 nm. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the exact start and end wavelengths (or portions of the electromagnetic spectrum) that define the colors (e.g., red, green, and blue) of the CFA may vary depending on the implementation of the CFA.

[0081] Additionally, typical visible CFAs transmit light outside the visible spectrum. Thus, many image sensors limit their sensitivity to infrared by placing a thin-film infrared-reflecting filter in front of the sensor that blocks infrared wavelengths but passes visible light. However, in some of the imaging systems disclosed herein, the thin-film infrared-reflecting filter may be omitted to allow infrared light to pass. Thus, the red, green and / or blue channels may be used to collect infrared wavelength bands. In some implementations, the blue channel may be used to collect a specific NUV wavelength band. Because the red, green and blue channels have different spectral responses associated with each channel having a unique transmission efficiency at each wavelength in the stacked spectral image, a known transmission profile may be used to provide a unique weighting response for each spectral band prior to unmixing. For example, the weighting response may include the known transmission response of the red, blue and green channels in the infrared and ultraviolet wavelength regions, allowing each channel to be used to collect bands from these wavelength regions.

[0082] As will be described in more detail below, additional color filters can be placed in front of the CFA along the light path to the image sensor to selectively extract specific bands of light incident on the image sensor. The color filters disclosed herein are combinations of (thin film) dichroic and / or absorptive filters, or dichroic and / or absorptive filters alone. Some of the color filters disclosed herein may be bandpass filters that pass frequencies within a certain region (in the passband) but block (attenuate) frequencies outside that region (in the blocking region). Some of the color filters disclosed herein may be multi-bandpass filters that pass multiple, discontinuous wavelength regions. These "frequency bands" may have narrower passbands, greater attenuation in the blocking region, and steeper spectral roll-off than the broad color range of the CFA filter. Roll-off is defined as the steepness of the spectral response at the transition from the passband to the blocking region of the filter. For example, the color filters disclosed herein can cover a passband of about 20 nm to about 40 nm or 20 nm to 40 nm. The particular configuration of the color filters can determine the wavelength bands that are actually incident on the sensor, which can improve the accuracy of the imaging techniques disclosed herein. The color filters described herein can be configured to selectively block or pass specific bands of electromagnetic radiation within the above-mentioned regions depending on the particular wavelength bands that are suitable for a particular application.

[0083] The term "pixel" is used herein to describe the output generated by an element of a two-dimensional detector array. In contrast, a photodiode, i.e., a single light-sensitive element, of a two-dimensional detector array behaves as a transducer that can convert photons into electrons via the photoelectric effect and then convert the electrons into a signal that can be used to determine a pixel value. An element of a data cube can be referred to as a "voxel" (e.g., an element of volume). A "spectral vector" refers to a vector that represents the spectral data (e.g., the spectrum of light received from a particular point in object space) at a particular (x,y) location of the data cube. A horizontal plane of a data cube (e.g., an image representing one spectral dimension) is referred to herein as an "image channel." In certain embodiments described herein, spectral video information may be captured, and the resulting data dimension can be N x N y N λ N t We can imagine the shape of a "hypercube" denoted by t is the number of frames captured during the video sequence).

[0084] Overview of an example of a multi-aperture imaging system with curved multi-bandpass filters FIG. 3A shows a schematic diagram of an example of a multi-aperture imaging system 200 with curved multi-bandpass filters according to the present disclosure. The schematic diagram shown includes a first image sensor area 225A (photodiodes PD1-PD3) and a second image sensor area 225B (photodiodes PD4-PD6). The photodiodes PD1-PD6 may be, for example, photodiodes formed on a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a CMOS image sensor). Typically, each photodiode PD1-PD6 may be a single unit of some material, semiconductor, sensor element, or other device capable of converting incident light into an electric current. This diagram shows only a small portion of the entire multi-aperture imaging system for purposes of explaining the structure and operation of the multi-aperture imaging system, and it will be appreciated that in an implementation, the image sensor area may include hundreds or thousands of photodiodes (and corresponding color filters). The first image sensor area 225A and the second image sensor area 225B may be implemented as separate sensors or as separate areas on the same image sensor, depending on the implementation. Although FIG. 3A shows two apertures and corresponding optical paths and sensor areas, it will be appreciated that the optical design principles illustrated in FIG. 3A can be extended to designs including three or more apertures and corresponding optical paths and sensor areas, depending on the implementation.

[0085] The multi-aperture imaging system 200 includes a first opening 210A that provides a first light path to a first sensor area 225A, and a second opening 210B that provides a first light path to a second sensor area 225B. The apertures may be adjustable to increase or decrease the brightness of the light reflected in the image, or the exposure time of a particular image may be changed by adjusting the apertures such that the brightness of the light incident on the image sensor area remains unchanged. The apertures may be located anywhere along the optical axis of the multi-aperture imaging system as would be reasonable for a person skilled in the art of optical design. The optical axis of the optical components located along the first optical path is shown by dashed line 230A, and the optical axis of the optical components located along the second optical path is shown by dashed line 230B, although it will be appreciated that the dashed lines do not represent the physical structure of the multi-aperture imaging system 200. Optical axis 230A and optical axis 230B are separated by a distance D, which can result in parallax between the images captured by first sensor area 225A and the images captured by second sensor area 225B. "Parallax" refers to the distance between two corresponding points on the left and right (or top and bottom) sides of a stereoscopic image, where the same physical point in object space appears at different locations in each image. Processing techniques that correct for and exploit this parallax are described in more detail below.

[0086] The optical axis 230A and the optical axis 230B pass through the center C of the corresponding aperture. Other optical components can also be arranged around these optical axes (e.g., the rotational symmetry points of the optical components can be arranged along this optical axis). For example, the first curved multi-bandpass filter 205A and the first imaging lens 215A can be arranged around the first optical axis 230A, and the second curved multi-bandpass filter 205B and the second imaging lens 215B can be arranged around the second optical axis 230B.

[0087] As used herein, the terms "on" and "above" when discussing the placement of optical elements refer to the location of a particular structure (e.g., a color filter or lens) through which light entering imaging system 200 from object space passes before reaching (or entering) another structure. To explain this, along a first optical path, curved multi-bandpass filter 205A is located above aperture 210A, which is located above imaging lens 215A, which is located above CFA 220A, which is located above first image sensor area 225A. Thus, light entering from object space (e.g., the physical space to be imaged) first passes through first curved multi-bandpass filter 205A, then through aperture 210A, then through imaging lens 215A, then through CFA 220A, and finally enters first image sensor area 225A. The second optical path (e.g., the optical path including the curved multi-bandpass filter 205B, the aperture 210B, the imaging lens 215B, the CFA 220B, and the second image sensor area 225B) may be similarly arranged. In another implementation, the aperture 210A, 210B and / or the imaging lens 215A, 215B may be located above the curved multi-bandpass filter 205A, 205B. Additionally, another implementation may not use a physical aperture and may rely on a clear aperture of the optics to control the brightness of the light imaged onto the sensor area 225A and the sensor area 225B. Thus, the lenses 215A, 215B may be located above the apertures 210A, 210B and the curved multi-bandpass filters 205A, 205B. In this implementation, the apertures 210A, 210B may be located above the lenses 215A, 215B, or the apertures 210A, 210B may be located below the lenses 215A, 215B, as may be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art of optical design.

[0088] The first CFA 220A, located above the first sensor area 225A, and the second CFA 220B, located above the second sensor area 225B, can act as filters that selectively pass certain wavelengths and can split the incoming visible light into red, green, and blue regions (denoted by the symbols R, G, and B, respectively). The light is "split" by passing only the selected wavelengths through the color filters of the first CFA 220A and the second CFA 220B. The split light is received by a dedicated red, green, or blue diode on the image sensor. Although red, blue, and green filters are commonly used, in other embodiments, different color filters can be used depending on the color channels required for the captured image data, such as filters that selectively pass ultraviolet, infrared, or near infrared light, as with an RGB-IR CFA.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 3A, the filters of the CFA are disposed above single photodiodes PD1-PD6. FIG. 3A also shows an example of a microlens (designated ML) that may be formed or otherwise disposed on each color filter to focus incident light onto the active detector area. Alternative implementations may have multiple photodiodes (e.g., a collection of two, four or more adjacent photodiodes) below a single filter. In the example shown, photodiodes PD1 and PD4 are located below a red filter and therefore output pixel information for a red channel, photodiodes PD2 and PD5 are located below a green filter and therefore output pixel information for a green channel, and photodiodes PD3 and PD6 are located below a blue filter and therefore output pixel information for a blue channel. Additionally, as described in more detail below, the particular color channel output by a given photodiode can be an even narrower frequency band based on the active light source and / or the particular frequency band passed through the multi-bandpass filters 205A, 205B, thereby allowing a given photodiode to output different image channel information with different exposures.

[0090] The imaging lenses 215A, 215B can be shaped to focus the image of the object scene on the sensor area 225A, 225B. Each imaging lens 215A, 215B is not limited to a single convex lens as shown in FIG. 3A, but can be composed of as many optical elements and surfaces as needed to form an image, and various types of imaging lenses or lens assemblies, either commercially available or custom designed, can be used. Each optical element or lens assembly can be formed or coupled to each other to be housed in series or stacked using an opto-mechanical barrel with a retaining ring or bezel. In some embodiments, the optical element or lens assembly can include one or more coupled lens groups, which can include two or more optical components bonded or otherwise coupled together. In various embodiments, the multi-bandpass filters described herein may be placed in front of a lens assembly of a multispectral imaging system, in front of a single lens of a multispectral imaging system, behind a lens assembly of a multispectral imaging system, behind a single lens of a multispectral imaging system, inside a lens assembly of a multispectral imaging system, inside a group of combined lenses of a multispectral imaging system, directly on the surface of a single lens of a multispectral imaging system, or directly on the surface of an element of a lens assembly of a multispectral imaging system. Additionally, apertures 210A and 210B may be eliminated and lenses 215A and 215B may be of the type typically used in digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) or mirrorless camera photography. Additionally, lenses 215A and 215B may be of the type used in machine vision using a C-mount or S-mount thread for attachment.Focus adjustment can be achieved, for example, by moving the imaging lenses 215A, 215B relative to the sensor areas 225A, 225B, or by moving the sensor areas 225A, 225B relative to the imaging lenses 215A, 215B, based on manual focus, contrast-based autofocus or other suitable autofocus techniques.

[0091] Each of the multi-bandpass filters 205A, 205B can be configured to selectively pass a narrow frequency band of light, for example, in some embodiments, a 10-50 nm frequency band (or in other embodiments, a broader or narrower frequency band of light). As shown in FIG. 3A, both of the multi-bandpass filters 205A, 205B can pass a frequency band λc (a "common frequency band"). In implementations with three or more optical paths, each of the multi-bandpass filters can pass this common frequency band. In this manner, each sensor area captures image information in the same frequency band (a "common channel"). As described in more detail below, this image information obtained in the common channel can be used to align a set of images captured by each sensor area. Some implementations may have one common frequency band and a corresponding common channel, or may have multiple common frequency bands and corresponding common channels.

[0092] Each of the multiple bandpass filters 205A, 205B can be configured to selectively pass one or more unique frequency bands in addition to the common frequency band λc. In this manner, the imaging system 200 can increase the number of different spectral channels collectively imaged by the sensor areas 205A, 205B beyond the number of spectral channels that can be imaged by a single sensor area. This aspect is advantageous in that the unique frequency bands λc can be selectively passed. u1 and a multi-bandpass filter 205A that passes a specific frequency band λ u2where λ u1 and λ u2 indicates different frequency bands. Although shown as passing two frequency bands in this figure, the multi-bandpass filters of the present disclosure can each pass more than one frequency band at a time. For example, as described below in connection with Figures 11A and 11B, in some implementations, each multi-bandpass filter can pass four frequency bands. In various embodiments, more frequency bands may be passed. For example, an implementation using four cameras may include a multi-bandpass filter configured to pass eight frequency bands. In some embodiments, the number of frequency bands may be, for example, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twelve, fifteen, sixteen, or more.

[0093] The multiple bandpass filters 205A, 205B have curvatures selected to reduce the angle-of-incidence dependent spectral transmission at their respective sensor regions 225A, 225B. As a result, when receiving narrowband illumination from object space, each photodiode (e.g., a color filter covering the sensor region that passes that wavelength) located across the surface of the sensor region 225A, 225B that is sensitive to that wavelength will receive substantially the same wavelength of light without the wavelength shift seen in photodiodes located near the edge of the sensor as discussed above in connection with FIG. 1A. This configuration can produce more accurate spectral image data than would be possible using flat filters.

[0094] Figure 3B shows an example of an optical design for the optical components that make up one optical path of the multi-aperture imaging system shown in Figure 3A. More specifically, Figure 3B shows a custom achromatic doublet 240 that can be used as the multiple bandpass filters 205A, 205B. The custom achromatic doublet 240 passes light through a housing 250 to an image sensor 225. The housing 250 may include apertures 210A, 210B and imaging lenses 215A, 215B as previously described.

[0095] The achromatic doublet 240 is configured to correct optical aberrations due to the incorporation of the required surfaces for the multiple bandpass filter coatings 205A, 205B. The achromatic doublet 240 shown in this figure includes two lenses that can be made of glass or other optical materials with different dispersions and refractive indices. In other implementations, three or more lenses may be used. These achromatic doublet lens designs incorporate the multiple bandpass filter coatings 205A, 205B on a curved front surface 242, and incorporate the optical surfaces of a curved single lens onto which the filter coatings 205A, 205B are deposited to cancel optical aberrations, and the combined effect of the curved front surface 242 and curved back surface 244 of the achromatic doublet 240 limits the refractive or light gathering power, allowing these lenses alone, housed in the housing 250, to constitute the primary elements for light gathering. The achromatic doublet 240 can thus contribute to improving the accuracy of image data captured by the imaging system 200. These individual lenses can be mounted adjacent to one another, e.g., by bonding or cementing the individual lenses together, and shaped so that the aberrations of one lens are cancelled by the aberrations of the other lens. The curved front surface 242 or the curved back surface 244 of the achromatic doublet 240 can be coated with multiple bandpass filter coatings 205A, 205B. Alternative doublet designs may be implemented in the systems described herein.

[0096] Further variations of the optical designs described herein may be implemented. For example, in some embodiments, a single lens or other optical single lens, such as a convex lens (positive lens) or concave lens (negative lens) as shown in FIG. 3A, may be included in the optical path instead of the doublet 240 shown in FIG. 3B. FIG. 3C shows an example of an implementation in which a flat filter 252 is placed between the lens housing 250 and the sensor 225. The achromatic doublet 240 of FIG. 3C, which incorporates a flat filter 252 with multi-band transmission characteristics, corrects optical aberrations without significantly contributing to the optical power of each lens housed in the housing 250. FIG. 3D shows another example of an implementation in which a multi-bandpass coating is implemented by applying a multi-bandpass coating 254 to the front surface of the lens assembly housed in the housing 250. Thus, this multi-bandpass coating 254 may be applied to any curved surface of any optical element housed in the housing 250.

[0097] 4A-4E show an embodiment of a multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system 300 with the optical design described in connection with FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B. FIG. 4A shows a perspective view of the imaging system 300 with a housing 305 shown semi-transparently to reveal the internal components. The actual housing 305 may be larger or smaller than the housing 305 shown in this figure, depending, for example, on the size of the embedded computing resource desired. FIG. 4B shows a front view of the imaging system 300. FIG. 4C shows a cutaway side view of the imaging system 300 taken along line CC of FIG. 4B. FIG. 4D shows a bottom view of the imaging system 300, showing the processing board 335. FIGS. 4A-4D are now described.

[0098] The housing 305 of the imaging system 300 may be contained within another housing. For example, in a portable implementation, the imaging system 300 may be contained within a housing that may have one or more handles shaped to allow the imaging system 300 to be held stably. An example of a portable implementation is shown in more detail in Figures 18A-18C and 19A-19B. The top surface of the housing 305 includes four openings 320A-320D. A different multi-bandpass filter 325A-325D is disposed above each opening 320A-320D and is held in place by a filter cap 330A-330B. The multi-bandpass filters 325A-325D may be curved, and as described herein, each multi-bandpass filter passes a common frequency band and at least one unique frequency band, thereby enabling high-precision multispectral imaging in more spectral channels than would normally be captured by an image sensor covered with a color filter array. The image sensors, imaging lenses, and color filters described above are disposed within the camera housings 345A-345D. In some embodiments, the image sensors, imaging lenses, and color filters described above may be housed within a single camera housing, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 20A-20B. Thus, while the implementations shown in these figures use separate sensors (e.g., one sensor housed within each of the camera housings 345A-345D), it will be appreciated that other implementations may use a single image sensor disposed over the entire area exposed through the openings 320A-320D. In this embodiment, the camera housings 345A-345D are secured to the imaging system housing 305 using a support 340, but may be secured using other suitable means in various implementations.

[0099] The top surface of the housing 305 supports an optional illumination board 310, which is covered with an optical diffusing element 315. The illumination board 310 is described in more detail in connection with FIG. 4E below. The diffusing element 315 may be made of glass, plastic, or other optical materials and diffuses the light emitted from the illumination board 310 so that the object space receives substantially uniform illumination in space. Uniform illumination of the target object may be beneficial in certain imaging applications, such as clinical analysis of tissue by imaging, since it provides a substantially uniform amount of illumination across the object's surface at each wavelength. In some embodiments, the imaging systems disclosed herein may utilize ambient light instead of or in addition to the light from the optional illumination board.

[0100] Because the illumination board 310 generates heat during use, the imaging system 300 includes a heat sink 350 with a number of heat dissipation fins 355. The heat dissipation fins 355 may extend into the space between each of the camera housings 345A-345D, and the top of the heat sink 350 may conduct heat away from the illumination board 310 to the fins 355. The heat sink 350 may be made from a suitable thermally conductive material. The heat sink 350 may assist in dissipating heat from other components, which may eliminate the need for a fan in some implementations of the imaging system.

[0101] A processing board 335 is secured within the housing 305 by a number of supports 365, which communicate with the cameras 345A-345D. The processing board 335 may control the operation of the imaging system 300. Although not shown in FIGS. 4A-4D, the imaging system 300 may also be configured with one or more memories, such as a memory for storing data generated using the imaging system, and / or a computer-executable instruction module for system control. The processing board 335 may be configured in various ways depending on the system design objectives. For example, the processing board may be configured (e.g., via a computer-executable instruction module) to control the activation of specific LEDs on the illumination board 310. In some implementations, a highly stable synchronous buck LED driver may be used, which allows for software analog current control of the LEDs and detection of LED failures. In some implementations, the processing board 335 or a separate processing board may further provide image data analysis capabilities (e.g., via a computer-executable instruction module). Although not shown in Figures 4A-4D, imaging system 300 may include a data interconnect between the sensor and processing board 335 so that processing board 335 can receive data from the sensor and process the data, and may include a data interconnect between illumination board 310 and processing board 335 so that the processing board can activate specific LEDs on illumination board 310.

[0102] FIG. 4E illustrates an example of an illumination board 310 that may be included in imaging system 300, with the illumination board 310 separated from other components. The illumination board 310 includes four arms extending from a central portion, with three columns of LEDs arranged along each arm. The spacing between the LEDs in adjacent columns is offset laterally from one another to separate adjacent LEDs. Each LED column includes multiple rows of LEDs of various colors. Four green LEDs 371 are arranged in the center, with one green LED at each corner of the center. Starting from the innermost row (e.g., closest to the center), each column includes a row of two crimson LEDs 372 (for a total of eight crimson LEDs). Continuing radially outward, each arm has a row in the center column with one amber LED 374, a row on either side with two short blinking blue LEDs 376 (for a total of eight short blinking blue LEDs), another row in the center column with one amber LED 374 (for a total of eight amber LEDs), a row on either side with one non-PPG NIR LED 373 and one red LED 375 (for a total of four non-PPG NIR LEDs and four red LEDs), and a PPG NIR LED 377 in the center column (for a total of four PPG NIR LEDs). "PPG" LEDs refer to LEDs that are activated in multiple successive exposures to capture photoplethysmography (PPG) information representative of pulsatile blood flow in living tissue. It will be appreciated that various other colors and / or arrangements of LEDs may be used in the illumination board in alternative embodiments.

[0103] FIG 5 illustrates another embodiment of a multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system 300 with the optical design described in connection with FIG 3A and FIG 3B. Similar to the design of imaging system 300, imaging system 400 includes four optical paths, shown here as apertures 420A-420D with multiple bandpass filter lens groups 425A-425D secured to housing 405 by retaining rings 430A-430D. Imaging system 400 further includes an illumination board 410 secured to a front portion of housing 405 between retaining rings 430A-430D and a diffuser 415 disposed on illumination board 410 to aid in providing spatially uniform illumination of light onto the target object.

[0104] The illumination board 410 of the imaging system 400 has LEDs arranged in four arms of a cross, with each arm having two rows of closely spaced LEDs. In this manner, the illumination board 410 may be more compact than the illumination board 310 described above, and may be suitable for use with imaging systems having smaller form factor requirements. In this example configuration, each arm has one green LED and one blue LED in the outermost row, and moving inward, includes two rows of yellow LEDs, one row of orange LEDs, one row of red LEDs, one row of crimson LEDs, one row of amber LEDs, and one row of NIR LEDs. Thus, in this implementation, the LEDs are arranged such that the LEDs emitting longer wavelengths of light are located in the center of the illumination board 410, and the LEDs emitting shorter wavelengths of light are located at the ends of the illumination board 410.

[0105] 6A-6C illustrate another embodiment of a multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system 500 with the optical design described in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B. More specifically, FIG. 6A illustrates a perspective view of the imaging system 500, FIG. 6B illustrates a front view of the imaging system 500, and FIG. 6C illustrates a cutaway side view of the imaging system 500 taken along line CC of FIG. 6B. The imaging system 500 includes similar components as previously described in connection with the imaging system 300 (e.g., a housing 505, an illumination board 510, a diffuser 515, multiple bandpass filters 525A-525D secured above the apertures by retaining rings 530A-530D, etc.), but in a shorter form factor (e.g., in one embodiment, fewer embedded computer components and / or smaller dimensions of embedded computer components). The imaging system 500 further includes a direct camera-to-frame mount 540 for rigidly and robustly fixing the position of the camera alignment.

[0106] 7A-7B show another embodiment of the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system 600. FIG. 7A-7B shows another possible arrangement of the ambient light sources 610A-610C of the multi-aperture imaging system 600. As shown in this figure, four lens assemblies with multiple bandpass filters 625A-625D with the optical design described in connection with FIG. 3A-3D can be arranged in a rectangular or square shape to be received by four cameras 630A-630D (including image sensors). Three rectangular light emitting elements 610A-610C can be arranged parallel to each other outside and between each lens assembly with multiple bandpass filters 625A-625D. These rectangular light emitting elements can be broad spectrum light emitting panels, each of which can be arranged with LEDs emitting light in different frequency bands.

[0107] 8A-8B show another embodiment of the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system 700. FIG. 8A-8B shows another possible arrangement of the ambient light sources 710A-710D of the multi-aperture imaging system 700. As shown in this figure, four lens assemblies with multiple bandpass filters 725A-725D employing the optical design described in connection with FIG. 3A-3D can be arranged in a rectangular or square shape to be received by four cameras 730A-730D (including image sensors). The four cameras 730A-730D are shown as an example of a closer arrangement, which may minimize the perspective difference between the lenses. Four rectangular light emitting elements 710A-710D can be arranged in a square shape surrounding the lens assemblies with multiple bandpass filters 725A-725D. These rectangular light emitting elements may be broad spectrum light emitting panels, each of which may be arranged with LEDs emitting light in different frequency bands.

[0108] 9A-9C show another embodiment of a multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system 800. The imaging system 800 includes a frame 805 connected to a lens assembly front frame 830, which includes an aperture 820 and a support structure for a micro-video lens 825, which may include multiple bandpass filters using the optical design described with respect to FIGS. 3A-3D. The micro-video lens 825 receives light from four cameras 845 (including imaging lenses and image sensor areas) mounted on a lens assembly rear frame 840. Four linear rows of LEDs 811 are arranged along the four sides of the lens assembly front frame 830, with a diffusing element 815 for each LED on each of the four sides. FIGS. 9B and 9C show an example of possible dimensions in inches for the multi-aperture imaging system 800.

[0109] FIG. 10A illustrates another embodiment of a multispectral, multiaperture imaging system 900 with the optical design described in connection with FIGS. 3A-3D. The imaging system 900 can be implemented as a set of multiple bandpass filters 905 that can be attached to a multiaperture camera 915 of a mobile terminal 910. For example, a particular mobile terminal 910, such as a smartphone, can be equipped with a stereoscopic imaging system having two apertures leading to two image sensor areas. The multiaperture spectral imaging techniques disclosed herein can be implemented in such a device by providing a suitable set of multiple bandpass filters 905 that pass multiple narrow frequency bands of light to the sensor areas. The set of multiple bandpass filters 905 can be equipped with a light source (such as an LED array and a diffuser) that irradiates the object space with light in such frequency bands.

[0110] The imaging system 900 may further include a mobile application that configures the mobile terminal to generate and process the multispectral datacube (e.g., in a clinical tissue classification application, a biometric application, a material analysis application, or other application). Alternatively, the mobile application may configure the mobile terminal 910 to transmit the multispectral datacube over a network to a remote processing system and then receive and display the analysis results. An example of a user interface 910 for such an application is shown in FIG. 10B.

[0111] 11A-11B show an example of a set of frequency bands that can pass through four filters when implemented in the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIGS. 3A-10B, and the set of frequency bands is incident on an image sensor having, for example, a Bayer CFA (or another RGB CFA or RGB-IR CFA). TIFF0007641082000001.tif30162These transmission curves also include the effect of quantum efficiency of the sensor used in this example. As shown in these figures, the set of four cameras captures eight unique channels or eight unique frequency bands. Each filter passes two common frequency bands for each camera (the two leftmost peaks) and two other frequency bands. In this implementation, the first and third cameras receive light in the first shared NIR frequency band (the rightmost peak), and the second and fourth cameras receive light in the second shared NIR frequency band (the second peak from the right). Each camera receives one unique frequency band in the range of about 550 nm to about 800 nm or 550 nm to 800 nm. Thus, these cameras can capture eight unique spectral channels using a compact configuration. Graph 1010 in FIG. 11B shows the spectral irradiance of the LED board shown in FIG. 4E that may be used to illuminate the four cameras shown in FIG. 11A.

[0112] In this implementation, the eight frequency bands were selected based on generating spectral channels suitable for clinical tissue classification, but may be optimized for signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and frame rate while limiting the number of LEDs (which transmit heat into the imaging system). The eight frequency bands include a common frequency band of blue light (the left-most peak in graph 1000) that passes through all four filters because tissue (e.g., animal tissue such as human tissue) exhibits higher contrast in blue wavelengths than in green and red wavelengths. More specifically, as shown in graph 1000, human tissue has the highest contrast when imaged with a frequency band centered at about 420 nm. The channel corresponding to this common frequency band is used for disparity correction, so that higher contrast allows for more accurate correction. For example, in performing disparity correction, the image processor can use a local or global method to find a set of disparities that maximizes a figure of merit that indicates similarity between local image patches or local images. Alternatively, the image processor can use a similar method to minimize a figure of merit that indicates dissimilarity. These figures of merit may be based on entropy, correlation, absolute difference or deep learning methods. The calculation of disparity by global methods may be performed iteratively and terminated when the figure of merit is stable. Local methods may calculate disparity pixel by pixel, using a fixed patch in one image as input for the figure of merit and evaluating different disparity values ​​for many patches cut from other images during testing. All such methods may constrain the range of disparities considered. The constraint may be based, for example, on knowledge of the depth and distance of the object. It may also be constrained based on the range of expected tilts of the object. The calculated disparity may be constrained by projective geometry, such as epipolar constraints. The output of the disparity calculated at a lower resolution may be used as an initial value or constraint for the calculation of the disparity at the next level of resolution to calculate the disparity.For example, one can use the disparity calculated at a resolution of 4 pixels in a first calculation and set a constraint of ±4 pixels in the next calculation of the disparity at a higher resolution. Any algorithm that calculates from disparity benefits from higher contrast, especially when the contrast source is relevant for all viewpoints. Typically, a common frequency band can be selected to accommodate the highest contrast imaging of the materials expected to be imaged in a particular application.

[0113] Since the color separation between adjacent channels after capturing an image may not be perfect, in this implementation, an additional common frequency band is provided as a green frequency band adjacent to the blue frequency band, which passes through all the filters shown in graph 1000. The reason for using such a frequency band is that the pixels of the blue color filter have a wide spectral passband and therefore are sensitive to the green spectral region. This is usually shown as a spectral overlap and may be considered as an intentional crosstalk between adjacent RGB pixels. This spectral overlap allows the spectral sensitivity of the color camera to approach that of the human retina, making the final color space qualitatively similar to human vision. Thus, the common green channel for each filter allows the separation of the part of the signal generated by the blue photodiode that truly corresponds to the received blue light. This separation can be achieved using a spectral unmixing algorithm that factors in the transmittance of the multi-bandpass filters (shown as solid black lines in the T legend) and the corresponding transmittance of the CFA color filters (shown as dashed red, green, and blue lines in the Q legend, respectively). It will be appreciated that in some implementations, red light may be used as the common frequency band, in which case a second common channel may not be required.

[0114] 12 shows a high-level block diagram of an example of a compact imaging system 1100 with high resolution spectral imaging capabilities, the imaging system 1100 comprising a set of components including a processor 1120 coupled to a multi-aperture spectral camera 1160 and a light source 1165. A working memory 1105, a storage device 1110, an electronic display 1125 and a memory 1130 are also in communication with the processor 1120. As described herein, the imaging system 1100 may be able to capture more image channels by placing multiple different bandpass filters over the aperture of the multi-aperture spectral camera 1160 than would be possible with different color filters placed on the CFA of the image sensor.

[0115] The compact imaging system 1100 may be a device such as a mobile phone, a digital camera, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, etc. The compact imaging system 1100 may be a stationary device such as a desktop computer or a videoconferencing station using an internal or external camera for image capture. The compact imaging system 1100 may be a combination of an image capture device and a separate processing device that receives image data from the image capture device. A user may have multiple applications available on the compact imaging system 1100. These applications may include traditional photography applications, applications for still and video capture, dynamic color correction applications, brightness and shade correction applications, etc.

[0116] The image capture system 1100 includes a multi-aperture spectral camera 1160 for image capture. The multi-aperture spectral camera 1160 may be, for example, any of the devices shown in Figs. 3A-10B. The multi-aperture spectral camera 1160 may be connected to the processor 1120 so that images captured in different spectral channels can be sent from different sensor areas to the image processor 1120. Also, as described in more detail below, a single or multiple light sources 1165 may be controlled by the processor to emit light of specific wavelengths during a particular exposure. The image processor 1120 may be configured to perform various processes on the received captured images so as to output a high-quality parallax-corrected multi-spectral data cube.

[0117] The processor 1120 may be a general-purpose processing unit or a processor specifically designed for imaging applications. As shown in FIG. 12, the processor 1120 is connected to a memory 1130 and a working memory 1105. In the embodiment shown in this figure, the memory 1130 stores an acquisition control module 1135, a data cube creation module 1140, a data cube analysis module 1145, and an operating system 1150. These modules contain instructions that configure the processor to perform various image processing and device management tasks. The processor 1120 uses the working memory 1105 to store a working set of processor instructions contained in each module of the memory 1130. Alternatively, the processor 1120 uses the working memory 1105 to store dynamic data created during operation of the image acquisition system 1100.

[0118] As mentioned above, the processor 1120 is composed of several modules stored in the memory 1130. In some implementations, the imaging control module 1135 includes instructions for configuring the processor 1120 to adjust the focus position of the multi-aperture spectral camera 1160. The imaging control module 1135 further includes instructions for configuring the processor 1120 to capture images, such as multispectral images captured in various spectral channels and PPG images captured in the same spectral channel (e.g., NIR channel), with the multi-aperture spectral camera 1160. Non-contact PPG imaging typically uses near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths as illumination, taking advantage of the increased penetration of photons into tissue at these wavelengths. Thus, the imaging control module 1135, the multi-aperture spectral camera 1160 and the processor 1120 with the working memory 1105 are one of the means for capturing a series of spectral images and / or consecutive images.

[0119] The datacubing module 1140 includes instructions that configure the processor 1120 to generate a multispectral data cube based on the intensity signals received from each photodiode in the different sensor regions. For example, the datacubing module 1140 can estimate the disparity between the same regions of the imaged object based on the spectral channels corresponding to the common frequency bands passed by all the multiple bandpass filters, and use this disparity to align all the spectral images in all the captured channels with each other (e.g., the same point on a particular object is aligned at substantially the same pixel location (x,y) in all the spectral channels). The aligned images can be combined to form a multispectral data cube, and the disparity information can be used to measure the depth of the separately imaged objects, for example, to measure the difference between the depth of normal tissue and the depth of the deepest point of a wound site. In some embodiments, the datacubing module 1140 can further perform spectral unmixing to determine which portions of the photodiode intensity signals correspond to which frequency bands passed by the filters, for example, based on a spectral unmixing algorithm that factors in the transmittance of the filters and the quantum efficiency of the sensor.

[0120] The datacube analysis module 1145 can implement various techniques to analyze the multispectral datacube generated by the datacube creation module 1140 for a particular application. For example, some implementations of the datacube analysis module 1145 can provide the multispectral datacube (which may include depth information) to a machine learning model trained to classify each pixel according to a particular condition. The particular condition may be a clinical condition for tissue imaging, such as a burn condition (e.g., first degree burn, second degree burn, third degree burn, or normal tissue type), a wound condition (e.g., hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, remodeling, or normal skin type), healing potential (e.g., a score reflecting the likelihood that the tissue will heal from the wound condition with or without a particular treatment), a perfusion state, a cancer state, or other tissue condition associated with the wound. The datacube analysis module 1145 can also analyze the multispectral datacube for biometric and / or material analysis purposes.

[0121] The operating system module 1150 configures the processor 1120 to manage memory and processing resources of the image capture system 1100. For example, the operating system module 1150 may include device drivers that manage hardware resources such as the electronic display 1125, the storage device 1110, the multi-aperture spectral camera 1160, the light source 1165, and the like. Thus, in some embodiments, the instructions included in the image processing module described above may not directly interact with these hardware resources, but instead may interact through standard subroutines or APIs included in the operating system component 1150. The instructions in the operating system 1150 may then directly interact with these hardware components.

[0122] Additionally, the processor 1120 may be configured to control the display 1125 to display the captured images and / or the analysis results of the multispectral datacube (e.g., classified images) to a user. The display 1125 may be external to the imaging device including the multi-aperture spectral camera 1160 or may be part of the imaging device. The display 1125 may also be configured to provide a viewfinder to the user prior to capturing an image. Additionally, the display 1125 may include an LCD screen or an LED screen and may implement touch-sensitive technology.

[0123] The processor 1120 may write data to the storage module 1110, such as data representing captured images, multispectral data cubes, and analysis results of the data cubes. In this figure, the storage module 1110 is shown as a conventional disk device, but one skilled in the art will appreciate that the storage module 1110 may be configured as any type of storage media device. For example, the storage module 1110 may include a disk drive, such as a floppy disk drive, a hard disk drive, an optical disk drive, a magneto-optical disk drive, or a solid-state memory, such as a FLASH memory, a RAM, a ROM, and / or an EEPROM. The storage module 1110 may further include multiple memory units, any one of which may be configured to be located inside the image capture device 1100 or may be located outside the image capture system 1100. For example, the storage module 1110 may include a ROM memory that includes system program instructions stored within the image capture system 1100. Additionally, the storage module 1110 may include a memory card or high-speed memory that is removable from the camera and configured to store captured images.

[0124] 12 shows a system including separate components such as a processor, an image sensor, and a memory, those skilled in the art will recognize that these separate components can be combined in various ways to achieve particular design goals. For example, in another embodiment, memory components may be combined with processor components to reduce cost and improve performance.

[0125] Further, while FIG. 12 shows two memory components, a memory component 1130 including several modules and a separate memory 1105 including a working memory, one skilled in the art will recognize that other memory structures may be utilized in some embodiments. For example, a ROM or static RAM memory may be utilized to store processor instructions implementing each module included in the memory 1130. Alternatively, the processor instructions may be read during system startup from a disk storage device integrated into the image capture system 1100 or connected via an external device port. The processor instructions may then be loaded into a RAM to facilitate execution of the instructions by the processor. For example, the working memory 1105 may be a RAM memory, and the instructions may be loaded into the working memory 1105 prior to execution of the instructions by the processor 1120.

[0126] Overview of an example of image processing technology FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating an example process 1200 for capturing image data using the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system illustrated in FIGS. 3A-10B and 12. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of four exposures that can be used to generate a multispectral data cube as described herein: a visible light exposure 1205, an additional visible light exposure 1210, a non-visible light exposure 1215, and an ambient light exposure 1220. It will be appreciated that the exposures may be captured in any order and that some of the exposures may be omitted from or added to certain workflows described below. The process 1200 is described below with reference to the frequency bands illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, although a similar workflow may be implemented using image data generated based on a different set of frequency bands. Additionally, in various embodiments, image acquisition and / or parallax correction may be enhanced by further implementing flat-field correction according to various known flat-field correction techniques.

[0127] To obtain the visible light exposure 1205, a control signal may be sent to the illumination board to light up the LEDs corresponding to the first five peaks (the five peaks on the left side corresponding to visible light in the graph 1000 of FIG. 11A). It may be necessary to stabilize the light output waveform of the particular LEDs simultaneously (e.g., for 10 ms). The imaging control module 1135 may then start the exposure of the four cameras and continue this exposure for, for example, about 30 ms. The imaging control module 1135 then stops the exposure and acquires data from the sensor areas (e.g., by transferring raw intensity signals from the photodiodes to the working memory 1105 and / or data store 1110). This data may include a common spectral channel used for parallax correction, as described herein.

[0128] To improve the signal-to-noise ratio, in some implementations, an additional visible light exposure 1210 may be taken using the same process as described for visible light exposure 1205. Taking two identical or nearly identical exposures may improve the signal-to-noise ratio, allowing for more accurate analysis of the image data. However, in implementations where the signal-to-noise ratio of only a single image is acceptable, this second exposure may be omitted. Also, in some implementations, taking two exposures in a common spectral channel may provide more accurate parallax correction.

[0129] In some implementations, a non-visible light exposure 1215 corresponding to NIR or IR light can be further captured. For example, the capture control module 1135 can activate two NIR LEDs corresponding to the two NIR channels shown in FIG. 11A. It may be necessary to stabilize the light output waveform of certain LEDs simultaneously (e.g., for 10 ms). The capture control module 1135 can then start an exposure of the four cameras and continue this exposure for, for example, about 30 ms. The capture control module 1135 then stops the exposure and acquires data from the sensor areas (e.g., by transferring raw intensity signals from the photodiodes to the working memory 1105 and / or data store 1110). Since this exposure can safely assume no change in the shape or position of the object relative to the exposures 1205 and 1210, a common frequency band that passes through all the sensor areas can be used to align each NIR channel using previously calculated disparity values.

[0130] In some implementations, multiple exposures may be used to capture a sequence of images to generate PPG data indicative of deformation of the tissue site due to pulsatile blood flow. In some implementations, such PPG exposures may be captured at non-visible wavelengths. Combining the PPG data with the multispectral data may improve the accuracy of certain medical imaging analyses, but capturing the PPG data may increase the time required for the image capture process. In some implementations, the increased time required for the image capture process may result in movement of the portable imaging device and / or the object, which may introduce errors. Thus, in certain implementations, capturing the PPG data may be omitted.

[0131] In some implementations, an ambient light exposure 1220 may be further taken. In this exposure, all LEDs may be turned off and an image may be taken using ambient lighting (e.g., sunlight or light from other sources). The capture control module 1135 may then initiate an exposure of the four cameras and continue this exposure for a desired time (e.g., about 30 milliseconds). The capture control module 1135 may then stop the exposure and acquire data from the sensor area (e.g., by transferring raw intensity signals from the photodiodes to the working memory 1105 and / or data store 1110). The effect of ambient light may be removed from the multispectral data cube by subtracting the intensity values ​​of the ambient light exposure 1220 from the numerical values ​​of the visible light exposure 1205 (or the visible light exposure 1205 corrected for signal-to-noise ratio by the second exposure 1210) and also from the numerical values ​​of the non-visible light exposure 1215. Such processing can isolate portions of the resulting signal indicative of light emitted by the light source and light reflected from the object / tissue site to improve the accuracy of downstream analysis. In some implementations, this step may be omitted if sufficient analytical accuracy is achieved using only visible light exposures 1205, 1210 and non-visible light exposures 1215.

[0132] It will be appreciated that the particular exposure times listed above are examples in one implementation and that in other implementations the exposure times may vary depending on the image sensor, the intensity of the light source, and the object being imaged.

[0133] Figure 14 shows a simplified block diagram of a workflow 1300 for processing image data, such as image data captured using the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system shown in Figures 3A-10B and 12 and / or using process 1200 shown in Figure 13. Although workflow 1300 shows the output of two RGB sensor areas 1301A, 1301B, the number of sensor areas in workflow 1300 can be increased and there can be sensor areas corresponding to different CFA color channels.

[0134] The RGB sensor outputs from the two sensor regions 1301A, 1301B are stored in 2D sensor output modules 1305A, 1305B, respectively. These sensor region values ​​are sent to non-linear mapping modules 1310A, 1310B, which can perform parallax correction by determining the disparity between images captured using a common channel and then applying this determined disparity across all channels to align all spectral images with each other.

[0135] The output of these non-linear mapping modules 1310A, 1310B are then provided to a depth calculation module 1335, which can calculate the depth of a particular region of interest in the image data. For example, the depth may represent the distance between the object and the image sensor. In some implementations, multiple depth values ​​can be calculated and compared to measure the depth of the object relative to some other object than the image sensor. For example, the deepest depth of the wound bed can be measured, as can the depth of the normal tissue surrounding the wound bed (deepest, shallowest or average depth). The deepest depth of the wound can be measured by subtracting the normal tissue depth from the wound bed depth. This depth comparison can also be performed at other locations in the wound bed (e.g., all or some of the given sampling points), thereby constructing a 3D map of the wound depth at various points (shown in FIG. 14 as z(x,y) where z is the depth value). Larger disparities impose higher computational burden on algorithms for calculating depth as described above, although in some embodiments larger disparities may improve depth calculations.

[0136] The output of these nonlinear mapping modules 1310A, 1310B are then also provided to a linear equation module 1320, which can process the sensed values ​​as a set of linear equations for spectral unmixing. In one implementation, the Moore-Penrose pseudo-inverse equation can be used as a function of at least the quantum efficiency of the sensor and the transmittance values ​​of the filters to calculate the actual spectral values ​​(e.g., the intensity of light of a particular wavelength incident on each image point (x,y)). Spectral unmixing can be used in implementations requiring high accuracy, such as clinical diagnostics and other biological applications. Spectral unmixing can also be applied to provide estimates of photon flux and signal-to-noise ratio.

[0137] Based on the parallax-corrected spectral channel images and spectral unmixing, the workflow 1300 can generate a spectral data cube 1325, such as in the form shown in this figure of F(x,y,λ), where F denotes the light intensity at a particular image location (x,y) at a particular wavelength or frequency band λ.

[0138] FIG. 15 illustrates parallax and parallax correction for processing image data, such as image data captured using the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIGS. 3A-10B and 12 and / or using the process shown in FIG. 13. A first set of images 1410 shows image data of the same physical location on the same object captured by four sensor regions. As shown in this figure, the object locations are not at the same location in these raw images based on the (x,y) coordinate frame of the photodiode grid of the image sensor region. A second set of images 1420 shows the same object location after parallax correction, where the images are at the same (x,y) location in the coordinate frame of the aligned images. It will be appreciated that such alignment may include cropping certain data from edge regions of the images that do not completely overlap one another.

[0139] FIG. 16 illustrates a workflow 1500 for pixel-by-pixel classification of multispectral image data, such as image data captured using the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system shown in FIGS. 3A-10B and 12 and / or using the process shown in FIG. 13 and then processed according to FIGS. 14 and 15 .

[0140] In block 1510, a multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system 1513 can capture image data indicative of physical points 1512 on an object 1511. In this example, the object 1511 includes tissue of a patient having a wound. The wound may include a burn, a diabetic ulcer (e.g., a diabetic foot ulcer), a non-diabetic ulcer (e.g., a pressure ulcer or a slow-healing wound), a chronic ulcer, a post-operative incision, an amputation site (before or after an amputation), a cancerous lesion, or damaged tissue. When PPG information is included, the imaging system disclosed herein provides a method for evaluating conditions involving changes in tissue blood flow and changes in pulse rate, including tissue perfusion; cardiovascular health; injuries such as ulcers; peripheral arterial disease; and respiratory health.

[0141] In block 1520, the data captured by the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system 1513 may be processed to generate a multispectral datacube 1525 having multiple different wavelengths 1523, which may include multiple different images (PPG data 1522) of the same wavelength corresponding to different times. For example, the image processor 1120 may be configured via the datacube creation module 1140 to generate the multispectral datacube 1525 according to the workflow 1300. Some implementations may be associated with depth values ​​at various points in the spatial dimensions, as previously described.

[0142] In block 1530, the multispectral data cube 1525 can be analyzed as input data 1525 to a machine learning model 1532 to generate a classification mapping 1535 of the imaged tissue. The classification mapping allows each pixel in the image data (each pixel representing a particular point on the imaged object 1511 after registration) to be assigned a particular tissue classification or a particular healability score. Different classifications or scores can be indicated in the classified image output by using visually distinct colors or patterns. Thus, even if many images of the object 1511 are taken, the output can be a single image of the object (e.g., a regular RGB image) overlaid with multiple visual indications of the pixel-by-pixel classification.

[0143] In some implementations, the machine learning model 1532 may be an artificial neural network. An artificial neural network is a computational entity inspired by biological neural networks but modified for implementation by a computer device. Although dependencies between inputs and outputs are not easily found, artificial neural networks can be used to model complex relationships between inputs and outputs and to find certain patterns in data. A neural network typically includes an input layer, one or more intermediate layers ("hidden layers"), and an output layer, each of which includes many nodes. The number of nodes may vary from layer to layer. A neural network that includes two or more hidden layers is considered to be "deep". The nodes of each layer are connected to all or some of the nodes of the next layer, and the weights of these connections are typically learned from data during a training process, for example using backpropagation to adjust the parameters of the neural network to generate expected outputs from corresponding inputs in the labeled training data. An artificial neural network can thus be thought of as an adaptive system configured to change its structure (e.g., connections and / or weights) during training based on the information flowing through it, and the hidden layer weights can be thought of as encoding meaningful patterns in the data.

[0144] A fully connected neural network is a neural network in which each node in the input layer is connected to each node in the next layer (the first hidden layer), each node in the first hidden layer is connected to each node in the next hidden layer, and so on until each node in the final hidden layer is connected to each node in the output layer.

[0145] A convolutional neural network (CNN) is a type of artificial neural network that, like the previously described artificial neural networks, is composed of multiple nodes with learnable weights. Unlike the previously described artificial neural networks, each layer of a CNN may have nodes arranged in three dimensions, with width, height, and depth corresponding to the pixel values ​​of a 2×2 array of each video frame (e.g., width and height) and the number of video frames in the sequence (e.g., depth). The nodes of each layer may be locally connected to a small region of the previous layer, called the receptive field, which is also of width and height. The weights of the hidden layer may take the form of a convolution filter applied to the receptive field. In some embodiments, the convolution filter may be two-dimensional, so that the convolution (or convolution transformation of an image) can be repeated with the same filter for each frame of the input volume or for a specified subset of frames. In another embodiment, the convolution filter may be three-dimensional, so that it spans the full depth of multiple nodes of the input volume. Each node in each convolutional layer of a CNN shares weights, duplicating the convolutional filters of a given layer across the width and height of the input volume (e.g., for every frame), thereby reducing the total number of trainable weights and improving the applicability of the CNN to datasets outside the training data. Values ​​from certain layers may be pooled to reduce the number of calculations in the next layer (e.g., values ​​representing certain pixels may be propagated to the next layer, while other values ​​are discarded), and furthermore, as the CNN progresses in depth, a pooling mask may be reintroduced to the discarded values, returning the number of data points relative to the original dimensions. Multiple layers, some of which may be fully connected, may be stacked to form a CNN structure.

[0146] During training, the artificial neural network can be applied to the paired data in the training data to vary parameters and predict the output of a particular pair given the input. For example, the training data can include a multispectral data cube (input) and a labeled classification mapping (expected output), such as by a clinician designating wound areas that correspond to particular clinical conditions, which may include a healed label (1) or an unhealed label (0) that is assigned some time after the initial imaging of the wound and actual healing is confirmed. Alternative implementations of the machine learning model 1532 can be trained to make other types of predictions, such as predicting the likelihood that a wound will heal and reduce the wound area by a certain percentage within a certain time period (e.g., at least a 50% reduction in wound area within 30 days), or predict the wound condition classified as hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, remodeling, normal skin, etc. In some implementations, to further improve the accuracy rate of classification, the patient's evaluation metrics may be further incorporated into the input data, or the training data may be segmented based on the patient's evaluation metrics and used on different patients with the same evaluation metrics to train the machine learning model 1532 on different examples. Patient evaluation indicators may include textual information or medical history or aspects thereof describing characteristics of the patient or the patient's health condition, such as, for example, the area of ​​the wound, lesion or ulcer; the patient's BMI; the patient's diabetic status; the presence of peripheral vascular disease or chronic inflammation in the patient; the number of other wounds the patient currently has or has had; whether the patient is receiving or has recently received immunosuppressants (e.g., chemotherapy) or other medications that positively or negatively affect wound healing rate; HbA1c; chronic renal failure stage IV; whether the patient has type 1 or type 2 diabetes; chronic anemia; asthma; medication use; smoking status; diabetic neuropathy; deep vein thrombosis; previous myocardial infarction; transient ischemic attack; and sleep apnea; and any combination thereof.These metrics can be converted into vector representations by appropriate processing, such as vector embeddings of words, vectors of binary values ​​indicating whether a patient meets a particular metric (e.g., whether or not the patient has type 1 diabetes), or numerical values ​​indicating the extent of each metric in the patient.

[0147] At block 1540, a classification mapping 1535 can be output to a user. In one example, the classification mapping 1535 uses a first color 1541 to indicate pixels classified according to a first state and a second color 1542 to indicate pixels classified according to a second state. The classification and resulting classification mapping 1535 can exclude background pixels based on, for example, object recognition, background color identification, and / or depth values. As shown in FIG. 16, some implementations of the multispectral and multiaperture imaging system 1513 can project the classification mapping 1535 onto the tissue site. Such an embodiment can be particularly beneficial when a visual indication of recommended resection margins and / or resection depth is included in the classification mapping.

[0148] Such methods and systems may assist clinicians and surgeons in the process of managing skin wounds, such as making decisions on burn excision, amputation level, lesion removal, and wound triage. The embodiments described herein can be used to identify and / or classify the severity of decubitus ulcers, hyperemia, limb deterioration, Raynaud's phenomenon, scleroderma, chronic wounds, abrasions, lacerations, bleeding, ruptures, puncture wounds, penetration wounds, skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, or actinic keratosis), or any type of tissue change in which the characteristics and properties of the tissue differ from normal. The devices described herein can also be used to monitor normal tissue; aid and improve wound treatment methods (e.g., allowing for faster and more sophisticated approaches to determining debridement margins); and evaluate the progress of recovery from wounds or diseases (especially after treatment has been applied). Some embodiments described herein provide devices capable of identifying normal tissue adjacent to damaged tissue, determining margins and / or depth during resection, monitoring the healing process after implantation of a prosthetic device such as a left ventricular assist device, assessing the viability of tissue or regenerative cell grafts, or monitoring post-operative recovery (particularly following reconstructive surgery). Additionally, embodiments described herein can be used to assess wound changes or post-wound normal tissue development, particularly following administration of therapeutic agents such as steroids, hepatocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, antibiotics, regenerative cells (e.g., isolated or enriched cell populations including stem cells, endothelial cells, and / or endothelial progenitor cells).

[0149] Overview of an example distributed computing environment Figure 17 shows a simplified block diagram of an example of a distributed computing system 1600 including a multispectral, multi-aperture imaging system 1605, which may be any of the multispectral, multi-aperture imaging systems shown in Figures 3A-10B and 12. As shown in this figure, a datacube analysis server 1615 may include one or more computers, perhaps arranged as a server cluster or server farm, whose memory and processors may be located within one computer or may be distributed across many computers (including computers located remotely from one another).

[0150] The multispectral and multi-aperture imaging system 1605 may include networking hardware (e.g., wireless internet, satellite, Bluetooth or other communication) for communicating with the user devices 1620 and the data cube analysis server 1615 via the network 1610. For example, in some implementations, the processor of the multispectral and multi-aperture imaging system 1605 may be configured to control image capture and then transmit the raw data to the data cube analysis server 1615. In other implementations, the processor of the multispectral and multi-aperture imaging system 1605 may be configured to control image capture, perform spectral unmixing and parallax correction to generate a multispectral data cube, and then transmit the multispectral data cube to the data cube analysis server 1615. In some implementations, all processing and analysis may be performed locally on the multispectral and multi-aperture imaging system 1605, and the multispectral data cube and resulting analysis results may be transmitted to the data cube analysis server 1615 for performing aggregate analysis and / or for use in training or retraining machine learning models. Thus, the datacube analysis server 1615 may provide the latest machine learning models to the multispectral and multiaperture imaging system 1605. The processing load for the final result of analyzing the multispectral datacube may be shared in various ways between the multiaperture imaging system 1605 and the datacube analysis server 1615 depending on the processing power of the multiaperture imaging system 1605.

[0151] The network 1610 may include any suitable network, such as an intranet, the Internet, a cellular network, a local area network, other similar networks, or combinations thereof. The user device 1620 may include any network-equipped computing device, such as a desktop computer, a laptop, a smart phone, a tablet, an e-reader, a video game console, etc. For example, when tissue classification is required, the results (e.g., classified images) measured by the multi-aperture imaging system 1605 and the data cube analysis server 1615 may be transmitted to a patient or physician designated user device, a hospital information system that stores the patient's electronic medical record, and / or a centralized public health database (e.g., maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, etc.).

[0152] An example of the implementation result background: Burn morbidity and mortality pose a challenge to wounded combatants and their medical personnel. Burn injury rates in historical combat casualties range from 5-20%, with approximately 20% of these casualties requiring complex burn surgery, such as at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (ISR) Burn Center. Burn surgery requires specialized training, and is therefore performed by ISR staff rather than U.S. Army hospital staff. Limited numbers of burn specialists greatly complicate the logistics of providing medical care to burned soldiers. Thus, the use of novel objective methods to detect burn depth preoperatively and intraoperatively can ensure that a greater number of medical personnel (including personnel from non-ISR organizations) are available to provide medical care to burned soldiers during ongoing combat. Increased medical personnel availability can expand the scope of more complex burn care to advance the medical role for burned combatants.

[0153] To begin to address this need, we developed a novel cart-based imaging device that uses multispectral imaging (MSI) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to aid in the preoperative assessment of burn healability. The device can acquire images of a large area of ​​tissue (e.g., 5.9 x 7.9 in2) in a short time (e.g., within 6 seconds, 5 seconds, 4 seconds, 3 seconds, 2 seconds, or 1 second) and does not require the injection of imaging contrast agents. In this study of the general public, the accuracy rate of the device in assessing burn healability was shown to be superior to clinical judgment by burn specialists (e.g., 70-80%).

[0154] method: Civilian patients with burns of various severities were imaged within 72 hours of burn injury and at several time points up to 7 days after burn injury. The exact burn severity in each image was determined using a 3-week healing assessment or punch biopsy. The accuracy of the imaging device in identifying and discriminating between healing and non-healing burn tissue in first-, second-, and third-degree burns was analyzed on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

[0155] result: Data was collected from 38 civilian patients, totaling 58 burns and 393 images. The AI ​​algorithm achieved a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 90.7% in predicting non-healing burn tissue.

[0156] Conclusion: The accuracy rate of the novel imaging device and its AI algorithm in determining the healability of burns was shown to be superior to that of a burn specialist's clinical judgment. Future studies will focus on redesigning the device to make it portable and evaluating its use in an intraoperative setting. Design modifications to make the device portable include reducing the size of the device to that of a portable system, increasing the field of view, shortening the acquisition time for a single snapshot, and evaluating the device in an intraoperative setting using a porcine model. These developments are being performed using a benchtop multispectral imaging (MSI) subsystem that shows comparable capabilities in basic imaging studies.

[0157] Additional light source for image alignment In various embodiments, one or more additional light sources may be used in conjunction with any of the embodiments disclosed herein to improve the accuracy of image alignment. FIG. 21 illustrates an example embodiment of a multi-aperture spectral imager 2100 including a projector 2105. In some embodiments, the projector 2105 or other suitable light source may be, for example, one of the light sources 1165 described above with respect to FIG. 12. In embodiments including an additional light source such as the projector 2105 for alignment, the method may further include additional exposures. The additional light source such as the projector 2105 may project one or more dots, stripes, grids, random spots, or other suitable spatial patterns in a single spectral band, multiple spectral bands, or broadbands, individually or cumulatively visible through all cameras of the imager 2100, into the field of view of the imager 2100. For example, the projector 2105 may project shared or common channel light, broadband illumination, or cumulatively visible illumination that may be used to verify the accuracy of image alignment calculated based on the common band approach described above. As used herein, "cumulatively visible illumination" refers to a selected plurality of wavelengths whose pattern is transformed by each image sensor of a multispectral imaging system. For example, the cumulatively visible illumination may include a plurality of wavelengths, where at least one of the plurality of wavelengths is transformed by each channel, even if the plurality of wavelengths does not include a wavelength common to all channels. In some embodiments, the type of pattern projected by projector 2105 may be selected based on the number of apertures on which the pattern is imaged. For example, if the pattern is only visible through one aperture, it may be preferable for the pattern to be relatively dense (e.g., may have a relatively narrow autocorrelation, such as about 1-10 pixels, about 20 pixels, less than about 50 pixels, less than about 100 pixels, etc.), whereas if the pattern is imaged through multiple apertures, a less dense pattern or a pattern with a less narrow autocorrelation may be useful.In some embodiments, the additional exposure taken with the projected spatial pattern is included in the parallax calculation with the intention of improving the accuracy of the alignment over embodiments in which the exposure is taken without the projected spatial pattern. In some embodiments, the additional light source can project a stripe pattern of a single spectral band, multiple spectral bands, or broadband (e.g., shared or common channel, or broadband illumination, etc.) that is individually or cumulatively visible through all cameras into the field of view of the imager, and use this to improve the alignment of the images based on the phase of the stripe pattern. In some embodiments, the additional light source can project a plurality of unique spatial arrangements of dots, grids, and / or specks of a single spectral band, multiple spectral bands, or broadband (e.g., shared or common channel, or broadband illumination, etc.) that is individually or cumulatively visible through all cameras into the field of view of the imager, and use this to improve the alignment of the images. In some embodiments, the method further includes an additional sensor with an aperture or multiple apertures, which can detect the shape of a single or multiple objects in the field of view. For example, the additional sensor may use LIDAR, light field, or ultrasound technology to further improve the accuracy of image alignment using the co-band approach described above. The additional sensor may be a single aperture or multi-aperture sensor capable of sensing light field information, or may be capable of sensing other signals such as ultrasound or pulsed laser.

[0158] Spectral imaging system and method for histological evaluation of wounds, such as burns - Patents.com Introduction In modern medicine, microscopic analysis of tissues, or histology, is commonly used to distinguish tissues and to assess the presence or absence and extent or severity of disease. In many cases, histology is the gold standard for tissue analysis. However, histological examination of tissues is not always performed in routine medical care. Histological examination is time-consuming, expensive, requires specialized equipment, and requires highly specialized pathologists to interpret slides. Therefore, alternatives to histology are desirable.

[0159] One tool that can be used to quantify cellular properties of macroscopic tissue areas is multispectral imaging. Multispectral imaging measures specific wavelengths of light reflected from tissue. The interaction of light with tissue is determined by its absorption and scattering, properties of tissue that depend on the molecular composition of the tissue and its cellular structure. By analyzing this reflected light, cellular properties can be measured, eliminating the need for pathology testing altogether. This technique is very similar to the field of remote sensing, where spectral imaging is used in geological surveys to identify soil composition to determine the presence or absence of certain minerals, etc.

[0160] Although tissue cellular characteristics are usually measured by histological examination, we show herein that tissue cellular characteristics can be identified by using multispectral imaging in burn cases. In burn care, burn severity is determined by histopathological examination. However, tissue specimens taken in histopathological examination can only cover a small burn area, and for this reason are not suitable for diagnosing large burn areas, so histopathological examination is rarely performed in daily burn care. Although histopathological examination is highly regarded in differentiating the severity of burns, it is not useful in daily care. Therefore, it would be beneficial to develop a device that can measure the pathological characteristics of large areas of tissue without the need to take tissue specimens.

[0161] Optical coherence tomography (OCT), often referred to as optical pathology, offers a potential solution to the aforementioned problems. OCT devices can obtain detailed anatomical images of tissue structures near the tissue surface. OCT creates images by shining light (usually infrared) on the tissue and measuring the time it takes for the light to return. The results of OCT are images that show the location of structures within the tissue. For example, the epidermis, dermis, and skin appendages (such as sweat glands) can be identified in detail. The image resolution is 1-10 μm, and the imaging depth is 1-2 mm. However, the narrow field of view of OCT and the need for detailed image interpretation make this technology difficult to use in burn care situations.

[0162] Multispectral imaging (MSI) allows for the assessment of large areas of tissue in a single image. MSI captures multiple independent measurements of light reflected from tissue in a continuous, rapid sequence, allowing for flexible use in assessing burn severity as well as identifying a number of other tissues, such as viable wound beds and hyperemia. Other advantages of MSI include a large, magnified field of view, rapid data collection, precise measurement of burn physiology, and applicability to a variety of diagnostic applications in burn care.

[0163] Burns are classified into four degrees of severity: I degree, superficial II degree, deep II degree, and III degree. The most important distinction between superficial II degree and deep II degree is whether the burn will heal naturally through the skin's regenerative mechanisms, or whether the burn will not heal naturally and will require excision or grafting.

[0164] The histological features that accurately differentiate the four burn severity levels are still under debate. For example, it is known that skin can be completely regenerated by cells from the skin appendages, but it is not fully understood what density of viable skin appendages must be present to promote effective regeneration. Two decision trees were constructed by a group of experienced burn surgeons to analyze burn lesions. These decision trees are shown in Figure 22A and Figure 22B.

[0165] The decision trees shown in Figures 22A and 22B show two methods for assessing burn severity using biopsy specimens. Skin appendage damage is measured by counting the number of skin appendages in tissue sections, measuring the viability of each type of skin appendage separately, and calculating the percentage of viable skin appendages relative to the total skin appendages. In Figures 22A and 22B, the notation (0.0%-50.0%] indicates a range of 0.0%-50.0%, excluding 0.0% and including 50.0%.

[0166] These two decision trees differ in how the skin appendages contribute to the measurement of burn depth. In the first decision tree (Tree A), healed burns (i.e., first-degree burns or superficial second-degree burns) include biopsies with 50.0% or less skin appendage necrosis. In contrast, in the second decision tree (Tree B), healing burns do not have necrotic skin appendages. Thus, in Tree A, non-healing burns have 50.0% or more skin appendage necrosis, whereas in Tree B, a proportion of skin appendage necrosis greater than 0.0% describes a non-healing burn.

[0167] The following analysis was performed to demonstrate that MSI can be used to identify the proportion of skin appendage damage in burns. For example, the proportion of skin appendage damage in burns can be identified by spectral imaging using the spectral imaging system and / or method described in this disclosure. To do this, the two decision trees described above were simplified to create a binary decision diagram to classify burns into healing and non-healing burns. An algorithm was then trained to determine the proportion of skin appendage necrosis using the criteria shown in the two decision trees in Figures 22A and 22B. This analysis is shown in Figure 23.

[0168] As shown in Figure 23, we developed two classification methods to demonstrate that the data contained in multispectral images can be used to quantify the percentage of necrotic skin appendages in skin. Such information is typically obtained by histological examination. Classification problem A uses MSI data to identify skin appendages that are necrotic at 50.0% or more. The second classification problem B uses MSI data to determine the presence or absence (>0.0%) of necrotic skin appendages.

[0169] While accurate decision tree configuration is crucial in the burn field, this study aimed to demonstrate that MSI imaging can effectively detect necrosis of skin appendages.

[0170] Materials and Methods Imaging equipment: A snapshot-type multi-aperture multi-spectral imager was used as the multi-spectral imager. As shown in Table 1 below, this multi-spectral imager is composed of four color cameras arranged at the four corners of a square mounting frame, and a cross-shaped broad-spectrum LED lighting panel is attached between the four cameras. The filter and resolution parameters for specific wavelengths of this snapshot-type imager are shown in Table 1.

[0171] The snapshot imaging device was calibrated by setting the gain and current using a 95% standard reflector. Due to the multi-aperture imaging design, the calibration involved matching the corresponding points of each image taken through each aperture to obtain the parameters for image collimation. Calibration was performed monthly. [Table 1]

[0172] Study design: After approval by the Institutional Review Board, all subjects provided informed consent before enrollment in the clinical trial. Candidates were adults over 18 years of age with flame, scalding, or contact burns. Subjects had to be enrolled within 72 hours of the initial burn. However, candidates were excluded from the study if burns occurred on any part of the body other than the arms, legs, or torso, if the subject had airway damage, or if burns covered more than 30% of the total body surface area (TBSA).

[0173] Imaging Procedure: At enrollment, up to three burn sites were selected for imaging per subject; these sites were referred to as "test burns." Each test burn was imaged serially on up to six separate occasions during imaging sessions during the first 10 days after the burn occurred. Serial imaging of each test burn was performed during dressing changes during routine clinical practice and continued until the patient was discharged or the test burn was surgically excised. Two MSI images were obtained for each test burn during each imaging session.

[0174] Obtaining and evaluating a biopsy specimen: Biopsies were taken only from the test burn area that was excised during the surgical procedure. Biopsies were taken with a 4.0 mm diameter Derma punch. To control the location of the biopsies, surgeons were provided with a thin polycarbonate sheet with pre-cut holes evenly spaced 5.0 cm apart.

[0175] Biopsies were immediately preserved in formalin and sent to a specialized dermatopathology facility for processing. Each biopsy was fixed in paraffin, sectioned, mounted on slides, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Evaluation was performed by three blinded pathologists, and the results were compiled by majority vote.

[0176] Biopsy specimens were assessed for burn severity using two methods, shown in Figures 22A and 22B.

[0177] In method A, third-degree burns were identified if the biopsy specimen had a nonviable papillary dermis and a nonviable reticular dermis. Deep second-degree burns were identified by the presence of a nonviable papillary dermis, nonviable epithelial structures in the reticular dermis, and less than 50% viability of the reticular dermis' skin appendages. Superficial second-degree burns were assessed in two ways and identified by 1) the presence of a viable papillary dermis or 2) the presence of a nonviable papillary dermis but viable epithelial structures and more than 50% viability of the reticular dermis' skin appendages. Biopsies with an intact epidermis were identified as first-degree burns.

[0178] In method B, third-degree burns were identified if the biopsy specimen had nonviable papillary dermis and nonviable reticular dermis or 50.0% or more of the dermal adnexa were necrotic. Deep second-degree burns were identified by the presence of nonviable papillary dermis, nonviable epithelial structures in the reticular dermis, and >0.0% but <50% of the dermal adnexa were necrotic in the reticular dermis. Superficial second-degree burns were identified by two methods and were identified by 1) the presence of viable papillary dermis or 2) the presence of nonviable papillary dermis but viable epithelial structures and 0.0% of the dermal adnexa were necrotic. Biopsies with an intact epidermis were identified as first-degree burns.

[0179] Creating a pseudocolor image: At many points in the study, clinicians were asked to directly label the multispectral images generated by the imaging device. This was accomplished in two ways: 1) by using available wavelengths that are closest to the red, blue, and green wavelengths of standard digital photography, and adjusting the intensity of each channel to visually resemble a color photograph; or 2) by applying a label to the MSI data.

number

[0180] Image labeling: To train each algorithm, the true healing state or true value of the test burns was established by a panel of burn specialists. The panel consisted of three burn specialists, at least one of whom knew the patient well and at least one of whom was blinded to the test site and the patient. By directly labeling each pseudocolor image, one consensus labeled image was obtained for each test burn image in the same configuration as the raw MSI data.

[0181] The expert panel evaluated one dataset using the lesion features shown in decision tree A of FIG. 22A, and the expert panel evaluated the second dataset using the lesion features shown in decision tree B of FIG. 22B.

[0182] The labeled "truth" images indicated the location of first-degree, superficial second-degree, deep second-degree, and third-degree burns. These labeled images were used to create masks for the algorithm to indicate the non-healing burn areas in each test burn image, as shown in Figure 24, for later training.

[0183] Figure 24 shows an image of a subject's dorsal region with a mixture of burns of various severity and a truth mask created from the image. The green guide beam indicates the location and distance of the MSI image. A pseudocolor image of the test burn created from the MSI data is shown. Details of the truth values ​​provided by the panel of expert doctors who set the truth values ​​are shown. A truth mask is shown for a binary classification of non-healing burns and the rest, with non-healing burns labeled as white target pixels.

[0184] Algorithm Development Algorithm architecture and its training: A deep learning algorithm for image segmentation was developed to identify pixels in images that represent non-healing burn tissue. The algorithm was trained using MSI images as input data and a mask labeled by a panel of expert doctors as the truth value. This mask contained only two classes of labels: non-healing burns and everything else (e.g., healing burns, viable skin, and background) (Figure 24). This mask with only two classes of labels was created from a multi-class mask labeled by a panel of expert doctors by collapsing burns labeled as deep second-degree burns and third-degree burns into non-healing burns and other classes into everything else.

[0185] The algorithms were trained using momentum optimization and stochastic gradient descent with cross-entropy error. Experimental manipulations were performed for each algorithm to determine the hyperparameters, which consist of learning rate, momentum, number of epochs, weight decay, and batch size.

[0186] FIG. 25 shows an example of how to obtain output in a DeepView device. A.) The green focusing and alignment beam indicates the tissue area imaged by the DeepView instrument's multispectral imaging sensor. B.) Multispectral data from a patient. This stack of images is often referred to as a data cube. C.) The deep learning algorithm used to process the multispectral data. D.) A burn image is output to the physician with non-healing burn areas highlighted in purple.

[0187] The output of the convolutional neural network is a map indicating the probability that each pixel will be classified as a non-healing burn, which is expressed by the following equation:

number

number

[0188] Image Processing (IP) Algorithm Architecture: In this study, the following deep learning algorithms were used:

[0189] SegNet: SegNet is an encoder-decoder fully convolutional neural network architecture for semantic segmentation. The novelty of this architecture is that the input low-resolution feature maps can be upsampled in the decoder, using a nonlinear upsampling technique using the pooling index computed in the corresponding max-pooling step of the encoder.

[0190] SegNet regularized using a filter bank: This algorithm uses the same architecture as the previously mentioned SegNet algorithm. The difference with SegNet is that it uses a filter bank constructed by precomputation to suppress (regularize) the learning of the first layer convolution kernels. In this way, it is possible to influence the kernels of a deep convolutional neural network to learn more general spatial structures and spatial features. One advantage of this method is that it prevents overfitting during training.

[0191] SegNet with auxiliary loss: In this method, an auxiliary loss that takes into account image-based classification information is incorporated into the SegNet architecture, allowing pixel-based and image-based features to be obtained in the final prediction value of the neural network.

[0192] 3D SegNet: This version of SegNet uses an architecture very similar to the underlying SegNet. The difference with SegNet is that it uses 3D convolutional kernels instead of the standard 2D convolutional kernels used in other convolutional neural network architectures. The 3D kernels are of shape 3x3xn, where n is the number of channels in the feature map. For example, in the first layer, the kernel for an 8-channel MSI image used as input to the convolutional neural network is 3x3x8.

[0193] SegNet (multi-class classification): The convolutional neural network in this approach uses the same architecture as the underlying SegNet, except that it uses cross-entropy error and a softmax function in the output layer, which allows each pixel to be assigned to one of three or more classes. In this architecture, the algorithm is trained to learn detailed mask images that include first-degree burns, superficial second-degree burns, deep second-degree burns, and third-degree burns, as well as normal skin and background, drawn by a panel of expert doctors who set the ground truth. The multi-class output is then converted to a binary output of non-healing and healing burns by simply mapping pixels predicted to be deep second-degree burns and pixels predicted to be third-degree burns to non-healing burns.

[0194] SegNet classification of difficult-to-upsample images: This version of SegNet utilizes the underlying SegNet architecture, but trains on a more frequent set of images that are known to be difficult to distinguish. By training on difficult images more frequently, we can influence the algorithm to learn more from difficult images, thereby improving its performance on these difficult images.

[0195] U-Net: U-Net is an encoder-decoder deep learning semantic segmentation method that can be trained with a very small number of training images. The U-Net algorithm uses the concept of skip connections to preserve high-resolution features and improve localization.

[0196] Extended Fully Connected Neural Network (dFCN): dFCN is a fully convolutional deep learning network for semantic segmentation based on dilated convolutions. In this method, dilated convolutions can enlarge the receptive field of each convolution kernel while preventing the loss of input resolution. dFCN can perform pixel-level labeling without constructing the usual "hourglass" encoder-decoder structure.

[0197] Average ensemble: The final predicted probability for each pixel in the average ensemble is the average of the probabilities for each pixel predicted by the eight deep learning algorithms mentioned above.

[0198] Weighted average ensemble: Weighted average ensemble is an improved version of average ensemble, in which the predicted probability of each deep learning model is multiplied by a weight and the resulting result is averaged to obtain the final predicted probability. The corrected sensitivity of the deep learning model is used as the weight.

[0199] Algorithmic score rating: In the evaluation of each algorithm, the image pixel was considered as the reference unit of analysis. Because the sample size in this study was limited, the test results of each algorithm were estimated using the leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) method. In each fold cross-validation, only one subject's data was taken as the test data before the algorithm was trained on the data obtained from the subjects and burns.

[0200] If even a small number of non-healing burns were present in the test image, all pixels in the test image classified by the algorithm were compared to a truth mask indicating the true location of non-healing burns in this test image. A true positive (TP) was defined as a pixel in the output image of the algorithm that was classified as a non-healing burn and was also labeled as a non-healing burn in the truth mask created by the expert panel. In a similar manner, the other pixels in the output image of the algorithm were defined as false positive (FP), true negative (TN) or false negative (FN) pixels. The results were compiled for all test images taken one by one, and the algorithms were scored on the five accuracy metrics shown in Table 2 below. Each algorithm was compared against a baseline score that classified all pixels as negative (or not corresponding to a non-healing burn). [Table 2]

[0201] Results - Classification Problem A The results obtained from image data labeled according to the lesion features shown in decision tree A of FIG. 22A are described below.

[0202] Clinical trial data: The data included 38 subjects and a total of 58 test burns, which were labeled using the classification method according to lesion characteristics shown in decision tree A in Figure 22A. [Table 3]

[0203] Based on the final true values ​​generated by the expert panel, 28 of the 58 burns were shown to contain at least some non-healing burn areas. As shown in Table 3 above, these non-healing burn areas accounted for 20.2% of the total pixels in all the burn images tested.

[0204] The largest subgroup of subjects was non-Hispanic white males. Burns were distributed fairly evenly across the arms, torso (abdomen and chest), and legs. As can be seen, the majority of burns enrolled in this study were due to flame burns (81.6%), rather than scalding burns (5.3%) or contact burns (13.2%).

[0205] The mean age of all subjects was 47.4 years (SD 17.2 years). According to the study's exclusion criteria, subjects had to have a burn percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) less than 30%, and the reported mean burn percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) was 14.0% (SD 7.1%).

[0206] From the assessment of each burn depth based on the true value, burn depth was presented in the dataset as shown in Table 3 above. The most common burn in this study was superficial second degree (23 burns), followed by first degree (16 burns), deep second degree (12 burns), and third degree (7 burns). Collecting first degree burn pixels was difficult because patients with first degree burns rarely presented to the burn center, their treatment did not necessarily require multiple follow-up visits, and there was little opportunity for data collection.

[0207] Classifier comparison: Two types of classifiers were compared: individual deep learning (DL) algorithms (enhanced FCN, SegNet, or uNet) and ensembles of deep learning algorithms (majority voting ensemble or weighted ensemble).Accuracy metrics (Table 2) were calculated using cross-validation, and the results are shown in Table 4 below. [Table 4]

[0208] All algorithm accuracy metrics should be compared to a baseline that classifies all pixels as negative (or not corresponding to a non-healing burn). In the baseline, all pixels representing background, viable skin, and healing burns (i.e., first degree and superficial second degree burns) are correctly classified, and all pixels representing non-healing burns (deep second degree and third degree burns) are incorrectly classified. From this data, the baseline accuracy metrics are AUC 0.5, accuracy rate 79.8%, TPR 0%, and TNR 100%.

[0209] Deep learning algorithms show dramatic improvements over the baseline. However, among these deep learning algorithms, the best performing set of algorithms are ensemble models. The TPR-weighted ensemble has an AUC of 0.955 and an accuracy rate of 90.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 89.0% to 91.0%), compared to an AUC of 0.929 and an accuracy rate of 88.5% (95% CI: 87.3% to 89.7%) for SegNet, the best performing deep learning algorithm. This gain is especially evident in TPR, where the TPR-weighted ensemble has a TPR of 87.5% compared to 79.6% for SegNet.

[0210] The TPR weighted ensemble model, consisting of an extended fully convolutional network and SegNet and uNet architectures, both algorithms trained on MSI data, outperformed the other algorithms with an AUC of 0.955 and an accuracy rate of 90.0% (95% CI: 89.0-91.0%). The other weighted ensemble algorithms performed similarly and outperformed the individual deep learning algorithms that comprised these ensembles (this was especially evident in terms of TPR, which showed that these ensemble algorithms could correctly identify non-healing burn tissue).

[0211] A two-level one-way ANOVA with burn blocking was performed on the algorithm groups (deep learning algorithms and ensemble models). As shown in Table 5 below, this ANOVA included three deep learning algorithms (enhanced FCN, SegNet, and uNet) and five ensemble models (majority voting ensemble; ensemble weighted by accuracy, AUC, TNR, or TPR). [Table 5] [Table 6]

[0212] As can be seen in Table 5, at least one burn showed a significantly different accuracy rate from the other burns (p-value < 2e-16), and at least one group of algorithms had a significantly different mean accuracy rate from the other algorithms (p-value = 2.85e-08).

[0213] In Tukey's Honest Significant Difference Test (Table 6), the p-values ​​indicated that the ensemble model had a significantly higher average accuracy rate than the deep learning algorithms. On average, the ensemble model was 1.53% more accurate than the deep learning classifier.

[0214] A visual example of the individual algorithms and their combined ensemble is shown in Figure 26. As the ensemble model's predictions demonstrate high TPR and high TNR, the highlighted predicted non-healing burn areas almost entirely cover the white areas representing true non-healing pixels, and only a small portion of the gray areas (representing other classes) are covered by the predicted non-healing burn areas. The individual algorithms in the ensemble show different types of predictions and errors than the ensemble, and by combining these algorithms into an ensemble, accurate predictions are obtained and errors inherent to the individual algorithms are avoided.

[0215] Figure 26 shows sample output from different machine learning algorithms. The left panel shows the predictions from each deep learning algorithm overlaid on the truth mask. Grey areas indicate background, viable skin and healing burn areas in the truth mask. White areas indicate non-healing burn areas in the truth mask. Blue areas indicate non-healing burn areas predicted by each algorithm. The top right panel shows a color image of a burn from a proof-of-concept study (subject 006, 56-year-old female). The bottom right panel shows the output of the ensemble weighted by TPR.

[0216] Burn severity accuracy: The AUC of the TPR weighted ensemble algorithm was 0.955. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves are shown in Table 7 below. [Table 7]

[0217] The accuracy rates for the various burn classes (first degree, superficial second degree, deep second degree and third degree) are shown in Table 7. The relationship between the overall accuracy rate of the TPR weighted ensemble (90%) and the accuracy rates for the individual tissue types is the weighted average of the accuracy rates for each class, where the weights are the proportion of pixels that belong to that class. Note that this weighted average includes all classes of tissue defined in this study, including background, viable skin and all burn severities.

[0218] Results - Classification Problem B The results obtained from image data labeled according to the lesion features shown in decision tree B of FIG. 22B are described below.

[0219] Clinical trial data: A total of 25 subjects, including 20 men and 5 women, were enrolled in the clinical trial with a mean age of 45.72 years (± SD 17.77 years). The mean total body surface area burn percentage was 14.24% (± SD 12.22%). Race consisted of 11 blacks, 14 whites, and 1 Hispanic. Skin color was self-reported using the Fitzpatrick scale, a six-category index according to increasing melanin content. When assessed by the Fitzpatrick score, 12 subjects were identified as Class II, 4 subjects were identified as Class III and Class IV, 9 subjects were identified as Class V and Class VI, and 0 subjects were identified as Class I. Two subjects reported type 2 diabetes, and 14 were current smokers.

[0220] Fifty-six test burns were imaged from these 25 subjects using DV-FW and DV-SS devices. Forty-eight of the burns were flame burns, and the remaining burns were split evenly between contact and scalding water burns. The majority of the test burns selected for imaging (73%) occurred on the anterior side of the body. Twenty-two burns were imaged on the legs and thighs, 18 burns were imaged on the arms and forearms, and 16 burns were imaged on the torso.

[0221] Of these 56 test burns, 44 were surgically excised. The follow-up plan for these 44 burns was to obtain serial punch biopsies from the excision site immediately prior to excision in the operating room. This was done for all 44 burns. The remaining 12 test burn areas were treated with conservative wound care and follow-up evaluation of healing was performed on day 21.

[0222] Classifier comparison: Two types of classifiers were compared: individual deep learning (DL) algorithms (enhanced FCN, SegNet, SegNet with auxiliary loss, SegNet or uNet regularized with filter bank) and ensembles of deep learning algorithms (majority voting ensemble or weighted ensemble). As shown in Table 2 above, accuracy metrics were calculated using cross-validation and the results are shown in Table 8 below. These accuracy metrics are also shown in Figures 27A and 27B.

[0223] 27A is a bar graph showing the accuracy index of the algorithm created to solve classification problem B. FIG. 27B is a bar graph showing the AUC of the algorithm created to solve classification problem B. [Table 8]

[0224] An example of burn depth analysis using spectral imaging Introduction Burn care is a highly specialized medical field that is challenging due to the heterogeneity of patients and the resulting chaotic nature of disease and injury, which impacts healing. Even among burn specialists, burn depth assessment (BDA) is only 77% accurate, leading to unnecessary surgery or delayed treatment in about a quarter of patients. To assist clinicians in burn depth assessment, new techniques using machine learning algorithms calibrated to histological standards are being investigated. Unfortunately, histological assessment is rarely performed in burn care, and histological assessment may not match visual assessment. This ongoing study aims to present a burn biopsy algorithm (BBA) for burn depth classification based on histological analysis by surveying and evaluating the largest burn biopsy library.

[0225] method This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board and was a multicenter prospective study of patients with multiple wounds. Patients with burns assessed by a burn specialist as unlikely to heal and requiring excision and autografting were enrolled in the study. 2 Burn biopsies were taken immediately prior to excision, stained with hematoxylin and eosin by an institutional review board-approved dermatopathologist, and histologically evaluated for the presence or absence of epidermal, papillary dermis, and dermal adnexal necrosis. Using a burn biopsy algorithm, the histological findings were classified as first-degree, superficial second-degree, deep second-degree, or third-degree burns. The classification by this burn biopsy algorithm was compared with visual assessment of burns by three burn surgeons. The decision tree for the burn biopsy algorithm was constructed as follows: Third-degree burns were identified in biopsy specimens by the presence of nonviable papillary dermis and nonviable reticular dermis or necrosis of ≥50.0% of the dermal adnexa. Deep second-degree burns were identified by biopsy specimens characterized by nonviable papillary dermis, nonviable epithelial structures in the reticular dermis, and >0.0% to <50% necrosis of the reticular dermis dermal appendages. Superficial second-degree burns were assessed in two ways and identified by 1) the presence of a viable papillary dermis or 2) the presence of nonviable papillary dermis with viable epithelial structures and 0.0% necrosis of the reticular dermal appendages. Biopsies with an intact epidermis were identified as first-degree burns.

[0226] result As of submission, 65 patients had been enrolled, 117 wounds had been evaluated, and 487 biopsy specimens had been obtained. Using the burn biopsy algorithm previously described, 100% of the burned areas were classified into four types. Still photographs were taken at enrollment and before surgical excision. The first two types were assessed as having the potential to heal spontaneously and did not require excision, and were labeled as first-degree or superficial second-degree burns. The remaining two types were assessed as not likely to heal spontaneously within 21 days, and were labeled as deep second-degree or third-degree burns.

[0227] conclusion This study shows that burn depth can be classified using a burn biopsy algorithm with objective histologic criteria. The underlying clinical interest in regenerative potential is one that will hopefully be answered through ongoing analysis of further data from this study. This is the largest analysis of burn biopsies from burn specialists in modern practice and the first to define histologic parameters for burn depth assessment.

[0228] An example of training an algorithm for the histological evaluation of wounds such as burns Introduction Clinical assessment of burns: Clinical assessment of burns is the most widely used and least expensive method for assessing burn depth. Clinical assessment of burns relies on subjective evaluation of the external characteristics of the wound, such as the appearance of the wound, capillary refill time, and sensation of the burn site to palpation [1-4]. These external characteristics of burns are easy to observe, making clinical assessment of burns quick and easy with minimal cost. Unfortunately, the clinical features used to assess burn depth are only accurately determined in approximately 70% of cases, even by experienced burn surgeons.

[0229] Histological assessment of burn depth: Assessment of burn depth by punch biopsy of burn tissue and histologic analysis is often considered the "gold standard" and serves as a standard against which other diagnostic methods are compared. Burn depth is described as the anatomical depth at which the boundary between healthy and necrotic tissue can be seen. Burn depth was assessed by an Institutional Review Board approved pathologist by examining hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained (paraffin embedded) thin sections of burn tissue. Using this simple technique, pathologists can assess burn-induced changes in cell viability, collagen alterations, skin adnexal damage, and evaluate the patient's vascular system.

[0230] Different healing mechanisms depending on wound depth: The time required for re-epithelialization to be completed depends on a variety of factors, including the characteristics of the wound (eg, its location, depth or size, the presence or absence of infection) and the age of the patient.

[0231] Skin wounds may vary in depth and therefore affect one or more skin layers. When characterizing the lesions, wounds are usually classified as partial thickness or full thickness wounds. Partial thickness wounds are epidermal wounds and may involve part of the dermis. Partial thickness wounds can be further classified as "superficial" or "deep" partial thickness wounds depending on the amount of dermis involved. In partial thickness wounds, the skin appendages of epidermal origin, such as hair follicles, sebaceous glands, apocrine glands and / or eccrine sweat glands, usually remain partially intact. Partial thickness wounds, whether superficial or deep, heal mainly by re-epithelialization. Repair of the epidermal layer is achieved by regeneration of epidermal cells from the outer edge of the wound and from the skin appendages of the epidermis (e.g. hair follicles, sweat glands and sebaceous glands). Therefore, the presence of viable skin appendages is crucial for wound healing in the 21-day period. In contrast, full-thickness wounds involve destruction of the entire dermis and may involve more extensive tissue destruction. Full-thickness wounds do not heal by re-epithelialization alone, but require the formation of so-called granulation tissue, which fills the wound cavity and then covers the wound with epithelium.

[0232] Figure 28 shows the anatomical structure of the skin, including the papillary dermis, reticular dermis, epithelial structures, and dermal appendages. Examples of dermal appendages include arrector pili muscles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, cutaneous sensory receptors, and hair follicles. Examples of epithelial structures include arteries, veins, and capillaries.

[0233] The dermis is divided into two regions, the upper one is called the papillary dermis. Most of the papillary dermis is made up of connective tissue, and its only role is to strengthen the connection between the epidermis and the dermis. If the thermal injury only penetrates the papillary region of the skin, the burn is considered superficial because the injured skin is capable of regenerating.

[0234] Just below the papillary dermis is the reticular dermis. The reticular dermis contains connective tissue as well as epithelial structures and dermal appendages, including hair follicles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, cutaneous sensory receptors, and blood vessels. Identifying the viability of dermal appendages is crucial when thermal injury occurs in the reticular dermis, as wound repair will occur within 21 days if viable dermal appendages are present. Thus, if viable dermal appendages are present in the injured reticular dermis, it is considered a superficial second-degree burn. Damage deeper than the reticular dermis is considered a full-thickness third-degree burn.

[0235] H&E staining: Damage to the reticular and / or papillary dermis can be readily identified using H&E staining. Dermal damage can be identified by the presence of hyalinized collagen (discolored magenta) and inability to distinguish individual collagen fibers. A pathologist can easily distinguish normal from damaged collagen under a high-power microscope. Skin adnexal damage can be readily detected as hair follicle epithelium shows features consistent with cellular damage (e.g., cellular swelling, cytoplasmic vacuolation, pyknotic nuclei, etc.).

[0236] Histopathological examination Specimen Handling: To clearly indicate the location of the biopsy on the burn site, the burn site from which the biopsy specimens (4–6 mm in diameter) were taken was photographed with an autofocus / autoexposure digital camera before and after the punch biopsy. According to the study's proof-of-concept clinical protocol, the specimens were immediately labeled, preserved in formalin, and shipped to Cockerell Dermatopathology Laboratories, Dallas, Texas.

[0237] Pathological interpretation: Specimens were processed and examined at Cockerell Dermatopathology Laboratories by three institutional review board-approved pathologists blinded to patient and burn information. Depth of injury in specimens was identified independently by the three pathologists based on specific pathologic features of the burns. After independent analysis by the pathologists, findings from each pathologist were combined to arrive at a single conclusion for the pathologic findings of each specimen. Findings were recorded in the pathology report.

[0238] The histological evaluation of burn depth required the pathologist to examine the skin specimen for specific structures associated with the thermal injury. Figure 29 shows a logic flow explaining these specific structures and their importance in determining the severity of the burn. Briefly, the papillary dermis was inspected for damage, and if the papillary dermis was not damaged, it was considered a superficial second degree burn. If the papillary dermis was damaged, the pathologist went deeper to evaluate the reticular dermis. If the reticular dermis was not damaged, the diagnosis of a superficial second degree burn was maintained. If the entire thickness of the reticular dermis was damaged, it was considered a third degree burn. If there was partial damage to the reticular dermis, the pathologist was required to examine the individual epithelial structures and dermal appendages of the reticular dermis. If half of the entire dermis had necrotic epithelial structures or necrotic dermal appendages, it was considered a deep second degree burn. If no necrosis was observed in the epithelial structures and skin adnexa, the diagnosis of superficial second-degree burn was maintained.

[0239] 30A-30C show an example of a method for developing an algorithm for histological assessment of wounds based on spectral imaging. In step 3010, a biopsy location within the field of view of the imaging device is determined by a physician prior to performing the excision. Any excision area may be located within the test burn site.

[0240] A biopsy guide instrument can be designed and provided in step 3020. In one example shown in Figures 30A-30C, the biopsy guide instrument can be a thin, sterilizable, soft plastic guide instrument with multiple holes spaced apart to space selected biopsy locations within 5.0 cm of each other.

[0241] In step 3030, the biopsy location is marked using a biopsy guide instrument and a surgical skin pen.

[0242] At step 3040, a biopsy specimen (e.g., a 4.0 mm diameter punch biopsy) is taken from the marked biopsy location. The taken biopsy specimen may be preserved, for example, in formalin.

[0243] In step 3050, each biopsy specimen obtained may be examined independently. For example, biopsy specimens may be examined by two, three or more pathologists blinded to the patient and burn information. Biopsies may be stained with H&E and then evaluated using standard evaluation criteria as described above.

[0244] In step 3060, the biopsy location may be overlaid on an image of the biopsy site generated using the spectral imaging device described above.

[0245] In step 3070, a panel of expert physicians who have established the truth value may evaluate the independent test results by the pathologists and conclude the pathology results for each biopsy specimen.

[0246] In step 3080, one or more truth masks may be set depending on evaluation criteria such as burn depth status or healing status (e.g., healing or non-healing burns). Step 3080 shows two examples of such truth masks. The center image is a detailed truth mask showing the burn depth status of the original burn color image area shown in the left image. The right image is a binary classification truth mask showing the healing status of the original burn color image area shown in the left image.

[0247] In step 3090, one or more machine learning algorithms are trained and tested based on the constructed truth mask or masks.

[0248] term All of the methods and tasks described herein may be performed by a computer system and may be fully automated. In some cases, the computer system includes multiple separate computers or computing devices (e.g., physical servers, workstations, storage arrays, cloud computing resources, etc.) that communicate and interoperate over a network to perform the functions described herein. Any such computing device typically includes a processor (or multiple processors) that executes program instructions or program modules stored in memory or other non-transitory computer-readable storage media or non-transitory computer-readable storage devices (e.g., solid-state storage devices, disk drives, etc.). Various functions disclosed herein may be embodied in such program instructions or may be implemented in the form of application-specific circuitry (e.g., ASICs or FPGAs) in the computer system. When a computer system includes multiple computing devices, these devices may be located in the same location or in different locations. Results of the methods and tasks disclosed herein may be persistently stored by converting physical storage devices, such as solid-state memory chips or magnetic disks, into various forms. In some embodiments, the computer system may be a cloud-based computing system in which processing resources are shared by multiple separate business entities or other users.

[0249] The processes disclosed herein may be initiated in response to an event, such as a predefined or dynamically determined schedule, upon request initiated by a user or system administrator, or in response to some other event. Once the processes are initiated, executable program instructions stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media (e.g., hard drives, flash memory, removable media, etc.) may be loaded into memory (e.g., RAM) of a server or other computing device. The executable instructions may then be executed by a hardware-based computer processor included in the computing device. In some embodiments, the processes disclosed herein, or portions thereof, may be implemented on multiple computing devices and / or multiple processors, either serially or in parallel.

[0250] Depending on the embodiment, certain acts, events or functions of any of the processes or algorithms described herein may be performed in a different order, may be added to one another, may be combined with one another, or may be omitted altogether (e.g., not all of the acts and events described herein are required to execute an algorithm described herein). Furthermore, in certain embodiments, multiple acts or events may be performed simultaneously rather than sequentially, for example, using multithreaded processing, interrupt processing, or multiple processors or multiple processor cores, or on other parallel structures.

[0251] The various exemplary logic blocks, modules, routines, and algorithmic steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic devices (e.g., ASIC or FPGA devices), computer software running on computer hardware, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the various exemplary logic blocks and modules described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented by devices such as processor devices, digital signal processors ("DSPs"), application specific integrated circuits ("ASICs"), field programmable gate arrays ("FPGAs") or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate logic or transfer logic, discrete hardware components, or combinations of these components designed to perform the functions described herein. The processor device may be a microprocessor, but in other aspects, the processor device may be a controller, a microcontroller, or a state machine, combinations thereof, and the like. The processor device may include electrical circuitry configured to process computer-executable instructions. In another embodiment, the processor device includes an FPGA or other programmable device that performs logical operations without processing computer-executable instructions. The processor unit may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of a DSP core and one or more microprocessors, or other such configurations. Although described herein primarily with respect to digital technology, the processor unit may include primarily analog components. For example, all or some of the rendering techniques described herein may be implemented using analog circuitry, or a combination of analog and digital circuitry.The computing environment can include any type of computer system, including, but not limited to, microprocessor-based computer systems, mainframe computers, digital signal processors, portable computing devices, device controllers, computer engines within appliances, to name a few.

[0252] The components of the methods, processes, routines or algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, directly in software modules executed by a processor device, or directly in a combination of the hardware and software modules. The software modules may be included in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or other forms of non-transitory computer-readable storage media. A typical storage medium may be coupled to the processor device such that the processor device can read information from and write information to such storage medium. In this aspect, the storage medium may be integral to the processor device. The processor device and the storage medium may be included in an ASIC. The ASIC may be included in a user terminal. In this aspect, the processor device and the storage medium may be present as discrete components of the user terminal.

[0253] As used herein, conditional terms such as "can," "may," "potential," "may," "for example," and the like, generally mean that a particular embodiment includes a particular feature, component, or step, and another embodiment does not include the feature, component, or step, unless otherwise stated or interpreted otherwise in the context in which the terms are used. Thus, such conditional terms generally do not imply that one or more embodiments in any way require the feature, component, or step, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include decision logic, regardless of whether a particular feature, component, or step is included or performed in a particular embodiment, in the presence or absence of other inputs or promptings. Additionally, terms such as "including," "comprising," "having," and the like, are synonymous and are used in an inclusive sense in an open-ended manner, and do not exclude additional components, features, acts, operations, and the like. Additionally, the term "or" is also used in an inclusive sense (rather than an exclusive sense), e.g., when the term "or" is used to list components, it means one, some, or all of the listed components.

[0254] Unless otherwise indicated, it is understood that disjunctive language such as "at least one of X, Y, or Z" is generally used herein to indicate that a particular item, term, etc. may be X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, or Z). Thus, such disjunctive language is generally not intended, and should not be intended, to imply that in a particular embodiment, the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z is required.

[0255] While novel features applied in various embodiments have been shown, described and pointed out in the foregoing detailed description, it will be understood that the form and details of the foregoing apparatus or algorithms may be variously omitted, substituted and modified without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Since some of the features described herein may be used or practiced separately from other features, it will be readily understood that certain embodiments described herein may be embodied in forms that do not provide all of the features and advantages described herein. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are encompassed within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. 1. A system for assessing or predicting a wound condition, comprising: at least one light detecting element configured to collect light of at least a first wavelength reflected from a tissue region including a burn; and One or more processors in communication with the at least one light detecting element. Including, the one or more processors: receiving a signal from the at least one light detecting element indicative of light at a first wavelength reflected from the tissue region; generating an image having a plurality of pixels representative of the tissue region based on the signals; measuring a reflectance intensity value for each pixel at a first wavelength based on the signal for at least a subset of the plurality of pixels; determining a burn status corresponding to each pixel of the subset of pixels representing the tissue region using at least one deep learning algorithm; generating a pixel-by-pixel classified image based at least in part on the determined burn status corresponding to each pixel of the subset of pixels representing the tissue region and the image; the one or more processors are further configured to determine a prediction score associated with healing of the burn within a predetermined time period after creation of the image based at least in part on the determined burn status corresponding to each pixel of the subset of pixels representing the tissue region, the prediction score being indicative of a probability of healing without surgery or skin grafting. system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pixel-by-pixel classified image includes pixels having different visual indications depending on a determined burn status corresponding to each pixel.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to visually display the pixel-wise classified image.

4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the burn state corresponding to each pixel is selected from a non-healing burn state and a healing burn state.

5. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the burn condition corresponding to each pixel is a condition related to burn depth.

6. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the burn condition corresponding to each pixel is selected from a first degree burn condition, a superficial second degree burn condition, a deep second degree burn condition, and a third degree burn condition.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the burn condition is determined according to a degree of necrosis of skin appendages in at least a portion of the burn.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein determining a burn condition corresponding to each pixel of a subset of pixels representing the tissue region comprises identifying a percentage of necrosis of a skin appendage in at least a portion of the burn.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the non-healing burn condition corresponds to necrosis of the skin appendages greater than 50.0%.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the non-healing burn condition corresponds to necrosis of the skin appendages at a rate greater than 0.0%.

11. The system of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the at least one deep learning algorithm comprises a convolutional neural network.

12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the convolutional neural network comprises SegNet.

13. The system of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the at least one deep learning algorithm comprises an ensemble of multiple deep learning algorithms.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one deep learning algorithm comprises a weighted average ensemble.

15. 15. The system of claim 13 or 14, wherein the at least one deep learning algorithm comprises a true positive rate (TPR) weighted ensemble.

16. The system of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the at least one deep learning algorithm is trained with a database of wounds.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the wound database includes a burn database.

18. 18. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one deep learning algorithm is trained based at least in part on a plurality of truth masks, the plurality of truth masks being generated at least in part based on the presence or absence of necrosis of skin appendages in a biopsy specimen of burn tissue.

19. The system of any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the predetermined period is 21 days.

20. 1. A method of operating an apparatus for detecting cell survival or damage, collagen denaturation, skin appendage damage or necrosis, and / or vascular damage in a subject after a burn has occurred, comprising: imaging the area of ​​the burn with an area imaging means using a method of operation of a multispectral imaging system having at least one light detecting element and one or more processors, the at least one light detecting element collecting light of at least a first wavelength reflected from the tissue area containing the burn, the one or more processors in communication with the at least one light detecting element; evaluating the image data with an image data evaluation means that uses a deep learning algorithm trained on a database of burns; determining a prediction score associated with healing of the burn within a predetermined time period after generation of the image data based on the evaluated image data by a prediction score determining means, the prediction score being indicative of the probability of healing without surgery or skin grafting; displaying by a display means whether the cells of the burn are viable or damaged, whether collagen is denatured, whether skin appendages are damaged or necrotic, and / or whether blood vessels are damaged in the imaged region of the burn; and Providing a predictive score that predicts the likelihood that a burn will heal within a predetermined period of time without surgery or skin grafting by a predictive score providing means. The method includes:

21. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the damaged skin appendages being evaluated include hair follicles, sebaceous glands, apocrine glands and / or eccrine sweat glands.

22. 22. The method of claim 20 or 21, wherein the assessment of cell survival or damage, collagen degeneration, skin appendage damage or necrosis and / or vascular damage in the subject is performed in the papillary layer region of the skin.

23. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the assessment of cell survival or damage, collagen degeneration, damage or necrosis of skin appendages and / or damage to blood vessels in the subject is carried out in the reticular dermis of the skin.

24. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the assessment of cell survival or damage, collagen degeneration, skin appendage damage or necrosis and / or vascular damage in the subject is performed at a site deeper than the reticular dermis of the skin.

25. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein hyalinized collagen is detected or individual collagen fibres are indistinguishable.

26. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 25, wherein the cell damage is cell swelling, cytoplasmic vacuolization or nuclear pyknosis.

27. The method of any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein the deep learning algorithm is trained by stochastic gradient descent with momentum optimization and cross entropy error.

28. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 27, wherein the deep learning algorithm is selected from SegNet, SegNet regularized with a filter bank, SegNet with auxiliary loss, U-Net, augmented fully connected neural network (dFCN), average ensemble, true positive rate (TPR) weighted ensemble, and weighted average ensemble.

29. The method of any one of claims 20 to 28, wherein the deep learning algorithm is SegNet.

Images