Skip to main content
eScholarship
Open Access Publications from the University of California

UC Irvine

UC Irvine Previously Published Works bannerUC Irvine

Use of erythema index imaging for systematic analysis of port wine stain skin response to laser therapy

Published Web Location

https://doi.org/10.1002/lsm.20218Creative Commons 'BY' version 4.0 license
Abstract

Background and objectives

Quantitative methods to assess port wine stain (PWS) skin response to laser therapy are needed to improve therapeutic outcome. In this study, PWS skin erythema was analyzed using erythema index difference (DeltaEI: erythema index difference between PWS and normal skin) images before and after treatment to investigate systematically subject-dependent response to laser therapy.

Study design/materials and methods

Cross-polarized digital skin color images were acquired from 17 subjects with facial PWS and the associated DeltaEI images were computed. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of PWS skin erythema were performed with DeltaEI images, in which ranges of 40-6 and 5-0 represented PWS and normal skin, respectively.

Results

After laser therapy, we qualitatively observed a reduction in the DeltaEI values for all subjects. Regression fitting of DeltaEI values before and after PWS laser therapy was associated with strong positive linear correlation.

Conclusions

The imaging modality and analysis method allowed systematic analysis of PWS skin erythema in response to laser therapy. PWS skin response was dependent on pretreatment DeltaEI values, suggesting that erythema can be utilized as an effective parameter to monitor PWS response to laser therapy.

Many UC-authored scholarly publications are freely available on this site because of the UC's open access policies. Let us know how this access is important for you.

Main Content
For improved accessibility of PDF content, download the file to your device.
Current View