DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN ELECTROOPTIC MEASUREMENT SYSTEM FOR 3-D TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS - APPLICATION TO SKIN NEVOID LESIONS

Objective: The authors designed and developed a system for the measure ment of skin lesions(1) geometrical proprieties. The measured characte ristics can be of extreme importance in order to provide elements for the early diagnosis of melanoma. Summary Background Data: Actually, me dical experience and prevention are the only instruments for melanoma diagnosis. Some studies have been conducted with thermocameras and wit h ecography and photoacoustics spectrography, Methods: A scanning lase r-based measurement system for non-contact shape measurement has been designed and tested. The system measurement characteristics have been studied to assure an accurate reconstruction of skin lesion surface ch aracteristics. The laser sensor is fixed on a motorized system that sc ans the lesion surface. All the controls on the scanning system and on the recording of data have been automated and are software-controlled , Results: Full success in the measurement and reconstruction of the s kin lesions characteristics has been reached. An accuracy of 0.03 mm h as been obtained with the system. Measurements of the height and perim eter of many suspected lesions have been performed. Conclusions: The r esearch reported in this work has demonstrated the applicability and u sefulness of the proposed method by means of an in-vitro prototype-ver sion measurement system. The possibility of surveying the shape of ski n lesions by means of a non-contact electro-optic measurement plays an important role in the objective evaluation of in vivo pigmented suspe cted nevoid lesions (melanoma), Next steps include the study of a poss ible correlation between topographic elements and histological tests a nd the possibility of controlling suspected lesions employing this tec hnique both in the diagnostic and the follow-up phases.