US 6,324,417 B1 · Method for measurement of skin histology

Abstract

A method and apparatus for non-invasively measuring skin structure. Infrared radiation over an area of skin under investigation is measured to give an indication of the variation in papillary dermis thickness over said area, and the skin color coordinates at a plurality of locations over the same area of skin is also measured. The data obtained is used to calculate corrected skin color coordinates over the area corresponding to a predetermined papillary dermis thickness. The corrected skin color coordinates so obtained are compared with a reference color coordinate range for healthy skin of the same predetermined papillary dermis thickness. At an abnormal region, where the corrected skin color coordinates lie outside the reference color coordinate range, the depth of penetration of dermal melanin can be measured.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of non-invasively analysing skin structure, comprising the steps of:

(i) measuring radiation having a wavelength within a wave band extending from 600 nm and into infrared from at least one location in an area of skin under investigation so as to give an indication of papillary dermis thickness over said area;
(ii) measuring skin colour co-ordinates at said at least one location in said area of skin;
(iii) using data obtained in measuring steps (i) and (ii) to calculate corrected skin colour co-ordinates over said area which correspond to a predetermined papillary dermis thickness, and;
(iv) comparing the corrected skin colour co-ordinates obtained in step (iii) with a reference colour co-ordinate range for healthy skin of said the same predetermined papillary dermis thickness.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for measurement of skin histology

Life of this patent

Method for measurement of skin histology

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21