Technological advances in scar imaging and assessment
Evania Lok1, Sally Ng2, 1Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia2Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Abstract
Scar assessment is critical for assessing the success of burn scar intervention and management. Both subjective and objective scales are required to determine treatment effectiveness and guide ongoing clinical care. Technological advancements have enabled clinicians to evaluate scar characteristics such as erythema, pigmentation, tissue thickness and texture more accurately. Particularly as recent adjuncts to traditional scar management such as CO2 ablative laser has been increasingly adopted, it becomes crucial for clinicians to be up to date on the latest available technology for scar analysis. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was first developed to visualise the retina and cornea by utilising infra-red light to provide a reflected optical echo delay while advances in high frequency ultrasound (HFUS) has resulted in waves which provide high resolution albeit superficial details ideal for visualising skin. Both these techniques are recognised for their ability to visualise skin layers and provide quantitative data on epidermal and dermal thickness. Similarly, advances in LED technology have also revolutionised scarring assessment. 3D cameras compile spectral and spatial data from multiple directions to provide information on skin topography and chromophore concentration while colorimeters utilise a single angle beam to quantify erythema and melanin indices. This review summarises novel non-invasive real-time imaging modalities with an emphasis on potential quantitative tools for objective and accurate scar analysis.
References
Lee, KC, Dretzke, J, Grover, L, Logan, A & Moiemen, N 2016, ‘A systematic review of objective burn scar measurements’, Burns & Trauma, vol. 4, no. 1.
Cox, C, Bettiol, P, Le, A, MacKay, BJ, Griswold, J & McKee, D 2022, ‘CO2 laser resurfacing for burn and traumatic scars of the hand and upper extremity’, Scars, Burns & Healing, vol. 8, p. 205951312110476.
Biography
Evania Lok is currently a research registrar at Austin Health who has worked as a Plastics Registrar across the state of Victoria