Characterization of vascular structures and skin bruises using hyperspectral imaging, image analysis and diffusion theory

Hyperspectral imaging, image analysis and diffusion theory were used to visualize skin vasculature and to monitor the development of fresh skin bruises. Bruises were inflicted in a porcine model, and the development of the hemorrhage was monitored using white light hyperspectral imaging (400–1000 nm). Hyperspectral images from human volunteers were also included in the study. Statistical image analysis was used to classify bruised regions and to visualize the skin vasculature. Biopsies were collected from the animals to reveal the true depth of the bruising. A three‐layer diffusion model and an analytic hemoglobin transport model were used to model the reflectance spectra from the images. The results show that hyperspectral images contain depth information, and that the approximate depth and extent of bruises can be retrieved using a combination of statistical image analysis and diffusion theory. This technique also shows potential to visualize vascular structures in human skin. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)