Objectification of facial color inspection to differentiate obstructive/nonobstructive jaundice in neonates by spectrophotometer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to study whether color difference in facial color truly exists between neonates with obstructive and nonobstructive jaundice, and whether the color difference could be objectified by spectrophotometer. METHODS: Twelve biliary atresia patients were enrolled in an obstructive jaundice group and 15 neonates admitted for non-conjugated hyperbilirubinemia in a nonobstructive group. Nine patients with syphilis (n=6) and sacrococcygeal teratoma (n=3) were studied as control. Transcutaneous total bilirubin (TB) and hemoglobin were recorded. Face color was measured by spectrophotometer. Spectral reflection curve and L*a*b* model parameters were studied. RESULTS: Facial color of jaundiced neonates were characteristic in waveform that reflectivity at wavelength of 550nm was significantly decreased compared with control by 16.4±3.4%, while not significantly different between obstructive and nonobstructive jaundice (p=0.124). At 650nm, reflection in nonobstructive jaundice was decreased by 8.4±2.3% (p<0.01), and reflection in obstructive jaundice was (9.6±3.2) % lower compared with nonobstructive jaundice (p<0.01). In L*a*b* model, mean color difference between obstructive and nonobstructive jaundice was 9.60. L* was significantly different: control (71.84±3.75%)>obstructive jaundice (58.09±1.25%)>nonobstructive jaundice (54.25±7.27%). Value b* was higher in jaundiced patients compared to normal control (11.88±2.16, p<0.001), but not significantly different in obstructive and nonobstructive jaundice (20.12±2.17vs18.25±4.58). Value a* was not significantly different between normal control (5.57±2.38) and obstructive jaundice (5.25±1.19), but was lower than nonobstructive jaundice (14.03±3.29, p<0.001). TB was significantly correlated with b* (R=0.526, p=0.014), while hemoglobin was correlated with a* (R=0.791, p<.001) and L* (R=-0.707, p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Obstructive and nonobstructive jaundice could be objectively differentiated through facial color inspection by spectrophotometer. TYPE OF STUDY: Study of Diagnostic Test. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.

Research on Objective Method of Traditional Chinese Medicine Color Inspection / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

This study was aimed to objectify Color Inspection in Traditional Chinese Medicine (CITCM). A quantita-tive system for CITCM was designed and developed. The entire system included two parts, which were the hardware and the software. The hardware was an image acquisition device in a standard lighting condition. The software was used for digital image processing. The chromaticity of facial special region (SR) corresponding to five internal organs were calculated. The system was carried out by taking 100 samples of people. It was concluded that the experiment verified the effectiveness of the system in objective study of CITCM. It can be used as basis for the further study on CITCM.