MORPHOMETRIC COMPUTERIZED ANALYSIS AS A METHOD TO ASSESS SKIN ATROPHYCAUSED BY CORTICOSTEROIDS

We have employed morphometric computerized analysis to quantify change s in atrophic skin. Atrophy was induced on volunteers by means of the Duhring chamber assay, using two commercial corticosteroids with a ste roid-free base as control. After 20 days, atrophy was assessed by subj ective examination and rated on a five-point scale. After 10 and 20 da ys, positive replicas of the areas under test were obtained. Photograp hic reproductions of these replicas were stored in the image memory of an interactive automatic computerized image analysis system, Kontron Zeiss Ibas 2, and processed with a suitable program. After selection o f the measurement area by means of a circular measurement window, the 'continuous tone' image was converted to a 'binary' one by means of a dynamic discrimination function, in order to perform an automatic eval uation of the percentage area corresponding to the shadows cast by the surface markings. Morphometric computerized analysis proved to be a s ensitive method for quantifying skin atrophy. A high degree of corresp ondence with subjective examination was shown. The method allows an ob jective differentiation between a mid-potency and a high-potency topic al corticosteroid.