SfM‐3DULC: Reliability of a new 3D wound measurement procedure and its accuracy in projected area

Abstract

Three‐dimensional (3D) wound measurement lacks a gold standard to test accuracy. It is useful to develop procedures to scan wounds and reconstruct their 3D model with low‐cost techniques. We present a new procedure (Structure from Motion [SfM]‐3DULC) that uses photographs for measuring nine wound variables. We also propose a new variant of ImageJ in which an orthophoto is used to measure the projected area (Ortho‐ImageJ). In addition, we compare the wound measurements made by dermatologists and non‐experts. A group of five experts in dermatology and five non‐specialists measured 33 leg wounds five times per procedure. Intra‐rater and inter‐rater reliability scores of SfM‐3DULC were evaluated with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 2,1). The accuracy of the two new procedures (SfM‐3DULC and Ortho‐ImageJ) in the measurement of projected area was assessed by comparing their values with those obtained using ImageJ, with the Wilcoxon matched‐pairs signed rank test (α = 0.05). This test was also used to analyse the differences between the measurements made by dermatologists and non‐experts. All the variables measured by dermatologists using SfM‐3DULC showed excellent scores of intra‐rater reliability (ICC > 0.99) and inter‐rater reliability (ICC > 0.98). No significant differences between the three procedures were found when comparing their projected area values. Significant differences between the measurements of dermatologists and non‐experts were found in most of the variables: circularity coefficient, perimeter, projected area, surface area, and reference surface area. The wound measurement procedure SfM‐3DULC has an excellent reliability, is accurate for the measurement of projected area, and can be used by dermatologists for wound monitoring in everyday clinical practice.

The clinical value of intelligent wound measurement devices in patients with chronic wounds: A scoping review

“…we also found some problems worthy of further exploration. There are significant differences in the measurement results between professionals and non‐professionals, 41 suggesting that intelligent wound measurement devices should be operated by trained clinical professionals. However, there is no consensus on device training for medical staff, and there is no standard clinical operation process.…”

Reliability of Wound Measurement Methods

“…3D models retain the surface geometry and color of the wound, and allow for manipulation, visualization, and enhanced clarity of wound features that is difficult to achieve in 2D images [15]. In many systems, 3D models are generated using structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry [16,17,14,18] or 3D scanners [19]. SfM matches features between 2D images and combines the data to create a 3D model.…”