Title: The evaluation of the healing process of diabetic foot wounds using image segmentation and neural networks classification

Authors: B.C. Motta; M.P. Marques; G.A. Guimarães; R.U. Ferreira; S.S.R.F. Rosa

Addresses: Faculty of Gama, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 72.444-240, Brazil ' Faculty of Gama, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 72.444-240, Brazil ' Faculty of Gama, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 72.444-240, Brazil ' Faculty of Gama, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 72.444-240, Brazil ' Faculty of Gama, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 72.444-240, Brazil

Abstract: The diabetic foot is characterised as an infection or ulceration of the lower limbs tissues. Furthermore, to hinder the evolution of this disease, the patients needs to be monitored and the evolution, as well as the healing processes of the ulcers, must be documented. In this regard, this paper proposes the development of an easy-to-use computer program that performs segmentation of ulcers based on the colour of the scar tissue and automatically classifies them into three classes by using an artificial neural network, in order to help and ease the diagnosis given by health professionals. The total area of the ulcer, colour characteristics of the scar tissue and dimensions of the ulcer can be used as parameters in the diagnosis. The technique developed detected and computed the area of the ulcers, using an imaging protocol, facilitating the application of the technique at hospitals and care units.

Keywords: wound healing; medical informatics; diabetic foot; neural network; image processing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2022.120869

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2022 Vol.38 No.2, pp.179 - 192

Received: 20 Jun 2018
Accepted: 18 Dec 2018
Published online: 15 Feb 2022 *

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