Methodology to improve and evaluate the quality of skin imaging

• Grant number: 15/00040-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Medical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Sergio Shiguemi Furuie
• Grantee: Yargo Vó Tessaro
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The advances in informational systems enabled the expansion of areas such as telemedicine, which seeks to improve the quality of life of patients and society as a whole through an aid offered at distance. This is paramount when analyzing a country of continental dimensions but with regional distortions, for example Brazil. Among its modalities, one that is currently expanding is teledermatology focused on diagnosis, in which a health professional examines images obtained remotely and can start a treatment in a short period of time. This modality is becoming increasingly important in society since skin cancer is the one with the greatest incidence in both genders. However, image acquisiton is not always the best and there may be deviations from colour or resolution at the same time it is restricted to professionals qualified to perform it. In this way, it is aimed to develop a system able to correct these distortions, while also allowing the laity to obtain images through cellphones or conventional cameras with quality reference, analyzing whether the images have minimum conditions to be presented to doctors, which would expand this area of medicine and consequently improve the quality of life of the population.