Infrared (IR) imaging and Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) were used to measure skin temperature and blood flow, respectively, in leg ulcers of sickle cell anemia patients. Regional maps of the power of oscillations were computed via Fast Fourier Transform within the ulcers and surrounding tissues. We hypothesize that measurements of regional oscillations of temperature and perfusion by IR imaging and LSCI, respectively, may be sensitive, quantitative, non-invasive markers for ulcer pathophysiology, including local vascular tone and functional connectivity between ulcers and surrounding tissues.

Measurement of skin ulcer area is essential for accurate assessment of the efficacy of different therapeutic strategies. Currently, measurement options involve subjective evaluation of ulcer borders. We quantified ulcer surface area in twelve sickle cell anemia patients by using an infrared (IR) camera and compared measurements to those obtained with standard, manual techniques that utilize visible light. IR photography is sensitive to ulcer border irregularity and capable of discerning thin epithelialization layers that are invisible, due to transparency, to the human eye or ordinary photography. The technique is non-invasive, objective, and capable of visualizing ulcers through thin dressings.