Infrared Macrothermoscopy Patterns-A New Category of Dermoscopy

Abstract

(1) Background: The authors developed a new non-invasive dermatological infrared macroimaging analysis technique (MacroIR) that evaluates microvascular, inflammatory, and metabolic changes that may be dermoscopy complimentary, by analyzing different skin and mucosal lesions in a combined way-naked eye, polarized light dermatoscopy (PLD), and MacroIR-and comparing results; (2) Methods: ten cases were evaluated using a smartphone coupled with a dermatoscope and a macro lens integrated far-infrared transducer into specific software to capture and organize high-resolution images in different electromagnetic spectra, and then analyzed by a dermatologist; (3) Results: It was possible to identify and compare structures found in two dermoscopic forms. Visual anatomical changes were correlated with MacroIR and aided skin surface dermatological analysis, presenting studied area microvascular, inflammatory, and metabolic data. All MacroIR images correlated with PLD, naked eye examination, and histopathological findings; (4) Conclusion: MacroIR and clinic dermatologist concordance rates were comparable for all dermatological conditions in this study. MacroIR imaging is a promising method that can improve dermatological diseases diagnosis. The observations are preliminary and require further evaluation in larger studies.

Keywords: dermatoscopy; dermoscopy; infrared; infrared spectrophotometry; medical thermography; thermography.

Figure 1

Videothermography using a TermoCam FLIR T530sc with Macro Mode lens adapter and specifics software VisionFy (Thermofy, Brazil) with Hypermax mode, and DermEngine platform (MetaOptica, Canada).

Figure 2

Schematic representation of the steps performed to capture and analyze imagens, both dermoscopic (DermEngine^®) and thermographic (Thermofy^®), and Hypermax^® creation.

Figure 3

Malignant and borderline lesions. Melanoma case 1 (A1, B1, C1, D1, and E1), Melanoma case 2 (A2, B2, C2, D2, and E2), squamous cell carcinoma (F, G, H, I, and J), basal cell carcinoma (K, L, M, N, and O), and keratoacanthoma (P, Q, R, S, and T).

Figure 4

Benign lesions. Chronic nodular helix chondrodermatitis case 1 (A1, B1, C1, D1, and E1), Chronic nodular helix chondrodermatitis case 2 (A2, B2, C2, D2, and E2), molluscum contagiosum (F, G, H, I, and J), cutaneous lichen planus (K, L, M, N, and O) and oral lichen planus (P, Q, R, and S).