Aesthetic imaging system

An imaging system for capturing a current digital image of a patient for comparison with an earlier, stored digital image of the patient, the imaging system comprising:

• (a) a video camera for capturing a current live video image of a patient;
• (b) storage memory for storing digital images, the storage memory containing a first, earlier captured, digital image of the patient;
• (c) a monitor for displaying images captured by the video camera and images stored in the storage memory;
• and
• (d) manipulation computer means coupled to the video camera, the storage memory, and the monitor for retrieving, manipulating, and displaying images, the manipulation computer means being programmed to:
• (i) retrieve the first stored digital image from the storage memory and display the first stored digital image in a fixed position on the monitor;
• and (ii) overlay the current live video image of the patient on the monitor with the first stored digital image, wherein at least one of the first stored digital image or the current live video image is substantially translucent to allow the relative position of the camera and the patient to be adjusted so that the orientation of the patient in the current live video image is approximately the same as the orientation of the patient in the first stored digital image.

An imaging system for use with a video camera that captures a current digital image of a patient and a monitor that displays images, for comparison of the current digital image with an earlier captured, stored digital image of the patient, the imaging system comprising:

• (a) computer image storage memory containing a first, earlier captured, stored digital image of a patient;
• and
• (b) manipulation computer means for retrieving, manipulating, and actuating the display of images on the monitor, the manipulation computer means being programmed to:
• (i) retrieve the first stored digital image from the storage memory and to display the first stored digital image in a fixed position on the monitor;
• and
• (ii) actuate a display of a current live video image of the patient on the monitor simultaneously with the first stored digital image, with one of the first stored digital image and the current live video image being substantially translucent the second live video image being overlaid on the first stored digital image to allow the current live video image of the video image to be adjusted so that the orientation of the patient in the current live video image is approximately the same as the orientation of the patient in the first stored digital image.

In an aesthetic imaging system for use in imaging a patient, a method of simultaneously displaying a plurality of digital images of the patient for comparison thereof, the aesthetic imaging system including a video camera operably coupled to a computer processor, image storage memory containing a first gored image of the patient taken at an earlier time, and a monitor, the method comprising:

• (a) positioning the patient in front of the video camera so that a second, current image of the patient is captured by the video camera;
• (b) displaying the second, current image of the patient on the monitor;
• (c) displaying the first digital image of the patient in a fixed position on the monitor with the second digital image overlaid on the first digital image and with at least one of the first or second digital images being substantially translucent to allow the patient to view the first digital image through the second digital image and to reposition relative to the video camera in order to adjust the relative alignment of the first and second digital images on the display;
• and
• (d) storing the second image of the patient once the first and second digital images are aligned on the display.