ITBM-RBM 2001 ; 22 : 49-52 0 2001 fiditions scientifiques et mbdicales Elsevier SAS. Tous droits r&en& Biomedical engineering A wound-healing monitoring system J. Delode’“, E. Rosow2, C. Roth3, J. Adams?, F. Langevin4 ‘Service biomedical, direction des services techniques, centre hospitalier de Tours, 37044 Tours cedex 1, France; ‘biomedical engineering department direction Hartford Hospital, 80 Seymour Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06102, United States; 3premise development Hartford Hospital, 80 Seymour Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06012, United States; 4universite’ de technologie de Compiegne, BP 20259, 60205 Compidgne cedex, France (Received 6 September 2000; accepted 17 December 2000) Summary This paper describes a noninvasive method to monitor wound-healing by using a digital video tech- nique. An image processing software is used to calculate the wound area and make a planimetric measurement. Another software called calorimetric analysis software determines the black, yellow and red percentage of the wound color. All this data is stored in a database. 0 2001 Editions scienti- fiques et medicales Elsevier SAS calorimetric analysis I measurement I planimetric I wound I wound area /wound-healing monitoring system R&urn6 - MBthode de suivi de la cicatrisation. Cet article docrit une methode non invasive permettant de suivre la cicatrisation dune plaie. Une camera digitale est utilis6e pour acquerir l’image numsrique. Deux differents softwares ont Bte deve- loppes pour realiser un calcul automatique et dirige de l’aire de la plaie, ainsi que pour suivre I’evolu- tion de sa couleur. Ces don&es sont ensuite archivees dans une base de donnees compatible avec la plupart des bases de don&es hospitalieres. 0 200 1 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS base de donn6es / calcul informatise de I’aire de la plaie I photo digital I plaies I suivi colorimktrique de la plaie I suivi de la cicatrisation INTRODUCTION Millions of people throughout the world suffer from chronic non-healing wounds. They frequently affect the elderly, who comprise the most rapidly growing segment of the population, and account for a dispro- portionately large share of total world health care expenditures. Chronic wounds are most common among people with diabetes, venous insufficiency (a circulatory disorder), and patients who are immobilized and at high risk of developing pressure ulcers. Despite the prevalence of chronic wounds, the healthcare industry has had limited success in the development of effective therapies. Traditional wound care has lacked the comprehensive treatment protocols and innovative technologies necessary for clinical and cost-effective outcomes. Sometime physicians are perplexed with a new case. They do not know if the therapy used is sufficient. They may have to wait weeks to take a position. There is no standardized technique for quantifying wound-healing [ 11. There is no objective measurement of the wound-healing. * Correspondence and reprints. E-mail advess: j.delode@logipole.chu-tours.fr (J. Delode)