Noninvasive monitoring of dynamical processes in bruised human skin using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and pulsed photothermal radiometry

Marin, Ana (author), Verdel, Nina (author), Milanič, Matija (author), Majaron, Boris (author)

We have augmented a recently introduced method for noninvasive analysis of skin structure and composition and applied it to monitoring of dynamical processes in traumatic bruises. The approach combines diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in visible spectral range and pulsed photothermal radiometry. Data from both techniques are analyzed simultaneously using a numerical model of light and heat transport in a four-layer model of human skin. Compared to the earlier presented approach, the newly introduced elements include two additional chromophores (β-carotene and bilirubin), individually adjusted thickness of the papillary dermal layer, and analysis of the bruised site using baseline values assessed from intact skin in its vicinity. Analyses of traumatic bruises in three volunteers over a period of 16 days clearly indicate a gradual, yet substantial increase of the dermal blood content and reduction of its oxygenation level in the first days after injury. This is followed by the emergence of bilirubin and relaxation of all model parameters towards the values characteristic for healthy skin approximately two weeks after the injury. The assessed parameter values and time dependences are consistent with existing literature. Thus, the presented methodology offers a viable approach for objective characterization of the bruise healing process.

• Language: English
• Keywords: traumatic bruise, contusion, bilirubin, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, integrating sphere, pulsed photothermal radiometry, inverse Monte Carlo
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 19 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 21, iss. 1, art. 302
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-134349
• UDC: 54
• ISSN on article: 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s21010302
• COBISS.SI-ID: 45594371
• Publication date in RUL: 10.01.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Sensors
• Shortened title: Sensors
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1424-8220
• COBISS.SI-ID: 10176278

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 05.01.2021