Grayscale Thermographic Imaging

Abstract

Through the measurement and interpretation of the pixels of grayscale digital thermographic images of abnormalities of the skin and its subcutaneous tissue, early intervention and treatment of abnormalities of the skin and its subcutaneous tissue are possible, thereby assisting clinicians in making significant impacts on prevention and treatment.

1 . A method of detecting abnormalities in mammalian skin and subcutaneous tissue, said method comprising the steps of: providing a infrared imaging device, said device comprising a first laser emitting device and a second laser emitting device, wherein beams from said first and second laser emitting devices converge at a predetermined distance from a target; arranging said imaging device at a distance from said target such that said beams converge; defining a first skin area on a mammal; identifying a length and a width for said first skin area; acquiring a long-wave infrared image of said first skin area from said predetermined distance using said imaging device; defining a pixel value for a predetermined range of temperature in said first skin area; calculating an average pixel value for said first skin area; defining a second skin area on a mammal; identifying a length and a width of said second skin area; acquiring a long-wave infrared image of said second skin area from said predetermined distance using said imaging device; defining a pixel value for a predetermined range of temperature in said second skin area; calculating an average pixel value for said second skin area; calculating an average pixel value for said second skin area; calculating a ratio between said first skin area average pixel value and said second skin area average pixel value; and calculating a width for each of said skin areas.