Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images of tissue, such as human skin, using multiple modalities. Exemplary devices are described having a detection polarizer via which an area of tissue is imaged and one or more light sources whose emitted light is polarized with a source polarizer. In exemplary operation, an area of tissue can be imaged as the illumination emitted from an exemplary device is varied among plain white, polarized white, and light of one or more bands of wavelengths, such as narrow-band blue, for fluorescence imaging of one or more fluorophores. In further implementations, absorption imaging can be carried out with cross-polarized narrow-band illumination.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for generating scores indicative of the severity of an acne condition of skin based on images of the skin. In exemplary implementations, a cross-polarized image with a skin area appearing therein is obtained and transformed to generate a red component image which is used to detect erythema in the skin area. A texture image with the skin area appearing therein is also obtained and is used to detect raised portions of the skin area. An acne severity score based on the erythema and raised portions detected in the skin area is generated and an indication thereof is output. Additionally, a fluorescence image with the skin area appearing therein can also be obtained and used to detect portions of the skin area containing a porphyrin indicative of acne, which can also be used in generating the acne severity score.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for assessing the texture of skin using images thereof. In exemplary embodiments, a texture map of an area of skin is generated from a combination of a parallel-polarized image and a cross-polarized image of the area of skin. The texture map is then flattened to remove the underlying curvature of the skin. A texture roughness metric is then generated based on the flattened texture map. An image of the texture map and the metric can be displayed to provide visual and alphanumeric representations of the texture of skin, thereby facilitating the comparison of baseline and follow-up images of the skin, such as those taken before and after treatment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for modifying images of skin so as to reduce or enhance the appearance of component pigments, such as melanin and hemoglobin. A diffuse reflectance image of skin, such as a cross-polarized contact dermoscopy image, which conveys information regarding subsurface features of the skin, is processed so as to extract pigment distribution information, which is then used to correct the diffuse reflectance image, such as by reducing the appearance of melanin to allow better visualization of hemoglobin-related structures, such as vasculature. Alternatively, the diffuse reflectance image can be corrected so as to reduce the appearance of hemoglobin to allow better visualization of melanin-related structures.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for modifying images of skin so as to reduce or enhance the appearance of component pigments, such as melanin and hemoglobin. A diffuse reflectance image of skin, such as a cross-polarized contact dermoscopy image, which conveys information regarding subsurface features of the skin, is processed so as to extract pigment distribution information, which is then used to correct the diffuse reflectance image, such as by reducing the appearance of melanin to allow better visualization of hemoglobin-related structures, such as vasculature. Alternatively, the diffuse reflectance image can be corrected so as to reduce the appearance of hemoglobin to allow better visualization of melanin-related structures.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for generating a quantitative indication of the degree of oiliness of skin. In exemplary embodiments, a difference image generated from parallel- and a cross-polarized images of an area of skin is subjected to an intensity thresholding operation. An oiliness metric is generated based on the average intensity of those pixels whose intensities do not exceed the threshold, and/or on the average intensity of those pixels whose intensities exceed the threshold. An indication based on the metric is generated and output.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for assessing pigmentation of skin based on images thereof. In disclosed implementations, a cross-polarized blue image of skin is obtained and processed to extract pigment distribution information. Useful applications include assessing depigmentation, as in the skin condition vitiligo, as well as assessing re-pigmentation such as due to treatment. In addition to the spatial extent of depigmentation, implementations of the present disclosure can also provide the degree of depigmentation. The degree and area of depigmentation can be measured with better accuracy and sensitivity than known techniques.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for assessing the texture of skin using images thereof. In exemplary embodiments, a texture map of an area of skin is generated from a combination of a parallel-polarized image and a cross-polarized image of the area of skin. The texture map is then flattened to remove the underlying curvature of the skin. A texture roughness metric is then generated based on the flattened texture map. An image of the texture map and the metric can be displayed to provide visual and alphanumeric representations of the texture of skin, thereby facilitating the comparison of baseline and follow-up images of the skin, such as those taken before and after treatment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed that assist a user such as a doctor in examining large areas of skin quickly and effectively by determining an attribute associated with each of a plurality of skin features included in one or more images of skin; generating a tile image of each of the plurality of skin features; arranging the tile images in accordance with the attribute associated with each of the plurality of skin features; and controlling a display device to display the tile images of the plurality of skin features. Advantageously, systems and methods according to the present disclosure enable the organization and presentation of large sets of visual as well as non-visual data that can be readily navigated and assimilated by the user.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for assessing the texture of skin using images thereof. In exemplary embodiments, a texture map of an area of skin is generated from a combination of a standard white light image, a parallel-polarized image, and a cross-polarized image of the area of skin. The texture map is then flattened to remove the underlying curvature of the skin. A texture roughness metric is then generated based on the flattened texture map. An image of the texture map and the metric can be displayed to provide visual and alphanumeric representations of the texture of skin, thereby facilitating the comparison of baseline and follow-up images of the skin, such as those taken before and after treatment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images of tissue, such as human skin, using variable polarization. Exemplary devices are described having a detection polarizer via which an area of tissue is imaged and one or more light sources whose emitted light is polarized with one or more source polarizers. In a first such device, one or more of the detection polarizer and a source polarizer is rotatable so as to allow the angle between their polarizations to be varied. An area of tissue can be imaged as the angle is varied. Another device has multiple fixed source polarizers of different polarization orientations, each source polarizer polarizing the light emitted by a corresponding group of light sources which can be selectively activated, thereby enabling the device to illuminate an area of tissue with polarized light of different orientations relative to the orientation of the detection polarizer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images of human hair, particularly of a human scalp. Implementations described for capturing images at multiple locations on the scalp, detecting follicles and hairs, and generating a variety of measurements indicative of the condition of the hair, including the number and density of follicles, hair widths, inter-follicular distances, and the number of hairs per follicular unit, among other possibilities. Measurements can be compared among scalp locations, as well as among sequentially obtained images of the same location. A dermatoscope attachment for contact imaging of the scalp is also disclosed. The attachment may include polarizers enabling cross polarized imaging of the scalp.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for assessing the texture of skin using images thereof. In exemplary embodiments, a texture map of an area of skin is generated from a combination of a standard white light image, a parallel-polarized image, and a cross-polarized image of the area of skin. The texture map is then flattened to remove the underlying curvature of the skin. A texture roughness metric is then generated based on the flattened texture map. An image of the texture map and the metric can be displayed to provide visual and alphanumeric representations of the texture of skin, thereby facilitating the comparison of baseline and follow-up images of the skin, such as those taken before and after treatment.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for assessing the texture of skin using images thereof. In exemplary embodiments, a texture map of an area of skin is generated from a combination of a standard white light image, a parallel-polarized image, and a cross-polarized image of the area of skin. The texture map is then flattened to remove the underlying curvature of the skin. A texture roughness metric is then generated based on the flattened texture map. An image of the texture map and the metric can be displayed to provide visual and alphanumeric representations of the texture of skin, thereby facilitating the comparison of baseline and follow-up images of the skin, such as those taken before and after treatment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed that assist a user in tracking changes that occur in an anatomical region of one or more subjects based on three-dimensional images of the region captured at different times, such as before and after treatment. In exemplary implementations, a three-dimensional anatomical reference model derived from a population of relevance to the subjects is deformed to fit at least a baseline image of each of the subjects. The deformed model of each subject's baseline image is further deformed to fit a follow-up image of the subject's anatomical region. The deformed models thus generated are used to establish sparse correspondences between the images from which surrounding, denser correspondences between the images are additionally found.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for capturing three-dimensional images, particularly of all or parts of human subjects and employing polarization. In disclosed implementations, cross-polarized, whole-body images of human subjects can be captured.

Abstract: A dermatoscope has a generally circular viewing opening, a plurality of light sources including first and second groups of light sources arranged about the viewing opening, a first polarizer for polarizing light passing through the viewing opening, and a second polarizer for polarizing light emitted from the first group of light sources, wherein the first and second groups of light sources are arranged at different distances from a center of the viewing opening so that light from the second group of light sources is not polarized by the second polarizer. A further dermatoscope has a head portion including a generally circular viewing opening, and at least one light source arranged proximate to the viewing opening; and a body portion including an image capture device, wherein the head portion is pivotally attached to the body portion selectively allowing alignment of the center of the viewing opening with the center of the field of view of the image capture device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for age appearance simulation of a patient are provided. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving an image of the patient (including a face of the patient), determining an ethnicity of the patient, determining an age of the patient, and determining a desired simulated age of the patient. An altered image to represent the desired simulated age of the patient may then be created, where altering the image includes utilizing a statistical ethnic aging model to alter at least one of a shape, a color, and a texture of the face. The altered image may be provided for display to the patient.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for assessing the texture of skin using images thereof. In exemplary embodiments, a texture map of an area of skin is generated from a combination of a standard white light image, a parallel-polarized image, and a cross-polarized image of the area of skin. The texture map is then flattened to remove the underlying curvature of the skin. A texture roughness metric is then generated based on the flattened texture map. An image of the texture map and the metric can be displayed to provide visual and alphanumeric representations of the texture of skin, thereby facilitating the comparison of baseline and follow-up images of the skin, such as those taken before and after treatment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described that provide the ability to estimate the diffuse reflection component of an image of tissue such as skin captured without cross-polarization. It is thereby possible to estimate skin pigmentation information from an image of skin captured conventionally, such as, for example, a total reflection image, obtained in a conventional manner by shining white light on the skin and capturing the reflected light. The image may also be a partially diffuse reflection image, such as a low quality cross-polarized image. The diffuse reflection component of a captured image can then be further processed to obtain Red and Brown pigmentation images, useful for indicating the distribution of hemoglobin and melanin, the primary chromophores of skin. Additionally, a standard captured image of skin can be analyzed to obtain an estimate of the surface reflection component of the reflected light.