IngentaConnect Quantitative Analysis of Sclerotherapy Results by Using Digital P...

Authors: ROCHA, EDUARDO FACCINI¹; FILHO, JOÃO POTÉRIO²; LOTUFO, ROBERTO D. E. ALENCAR³; FLORES, FRANKLIN CÉSAR⁴; SILVA, ALEXANDRE GONÇALVES⁵; COELHO, STELA ISERNHAGEN⁶; ROCHA, LEONARDO MARQUES⁶

Source: Dermatologic Surgery, Volume 32, Number 7, July 2006 , pp. 902-906(5)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

Abstract:

BACKGROUND

Despite different telangiectasia treatments in the lower limbs, there is no method standardization for results assessment, making comparison between the existing treatments conflicting. OBJECTIVE

To compare the assessment carried out by a group of specialists with the assessment carried out by a computer program, according to clearance degree of telangiectasias during treatment by sclerotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS

Nineteen patients (21 studied areas) with telangiectasias of thighs and popliteal fossa were assessed, with a mean age of 37.5 (21-59) years old, all female. The pre- and posttreatment photos were standardized as per distance, light exposure, and aperture time. The sclerotherapy sessions were performed with 75% glucose. The clearance degree of telangiectasias was judged by a group of six doctors and by a computer program that analyzed the initial and final photos. The results of such assessment were compared according to concordance and correlation. RESULTS

There was no statistical difference between the assessments carried out by the specialists and the assessments carried out by the computer program according to the sclerotherapy results. CONCLUSION

The assessment carried out by the computer program was equivalent to the assessment carried out by the specialists in the judgment of clearance degree of telangiectasias of the lower limbs.

Eduardo Faccini Rocha, MD, João Potério Filho, MD, Roberto D. E. Alencar Lotufo, Franklin César Flores, Alexandre Gonçalves Silva, Stela Isernhagen Coelho, and Leonardo Marques Rocha have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2006.32194.x

Affiliations: 1: Vascular Surgery Department, 2: Chief of Vascular Surgery Department, 3: Electrical Engineering and Computation Department, 4: Computation Department, University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil; 5: Computation Department, University of State of Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina, Brazil 6: Electrical Engineering and Computation, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil;

Quantitative Analysis of Sclerotherapy Results by Using Digital Photography and a Computer Program