3-DIMENSIONAL LASER IMAGING-SYSTEM FOR MEASURING WOUND GEOMETRY

Background and Objective: A low cost laser imager was designed and fab ricated for measurement of wound geometry. Methods: The accuracy of th e imager was validated using reference depressions of known dimensions . Perimeter, area, and volume were compared to planimetric and packing techniques on simulated wound models. Results: Wound tracing and algi nate measurement methods required approximately 20 times longer for th e reference standards, and 11 times longer for the simulated wounds th an with the laser scanning method (LSM). LSM consistently overestimate d the reference perimeter by 0.73 +/- 0.20 cm and the area by 0.98 +/- 0.62 cm(2). Volume estimates were not statistically different. The tr acing method underestimated the perimeter by 0.34 +/- 0.27 cm and the area by 1.07 +/- 1.09 cm(2). Volume measurements by the alginate metho d were not statistically different. The perimeters of the simulated wo unds averaged 1.29 +/- 0.27 cm greater using the LSM than obtained by the tracing method, and areas greater by 2.02 +/- 1.30 cm(2). Volume s cans averaged 1.04 +/- 0.61 cm(3) greater than by the alginate method. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.