The use of video image analysis for the measurement of venous ulcers

Summary The accurate measurement of the size of skin wounds and ulceration is important for comparing the efficiency of treatment modalities and for monitoring progress in the individual patient. Although various methods of differing sophistication are in use, many of the common simpler techniques lack accuracy and reliability.

We describe a new technique of ulcer measurement which uses video image recording, capture and computer analysis. A method of correcting for limb convexity in a two-dimensional image is presented. The method has an overall accuracy of 1–82% and a clinical precision of 3–41%, both of which are significantly better than acetate tracings or photographic methods. The technique is simple and rapid, and once established it incurs minimal ongoing costs.