TECHNICAL NOTES   

Esperienze Dermatologiche 2014 September;16(3):147-52

Copyright © 2014 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Final results of an experimental research about a technique for measuring skin lesions

Crisci A., Crisci M., Boccalone E.

Servizio di Dermochirurgia, Trapianti Cutanei e Centro Ferite Difficili, Casa di Cura “Villa Fiorita”, Aversa, (CE), Italia

AIM: The aim of this research was to find a simple and relatively unexpensive method to measure an ulcerative or neoplastic skin lesion.
METHODS: During our experimental study we examined various skin lesions and performed some mathematical calculations. A total of 1440 skin lesions (trophic ulcers, vascular, skin cancer, etc..) were examined over a ten-year period (2002-2012). Lesions were first photographed and then subjected to a geometric exam and to mathematical and statistical calculations.
RESULTS: From these tests it can be deduced that there is no statistically significant difference between the values of AR (real area) and ARI°C (hypotetical area with the radius of the first circle)+14.81% (P=0.160) and AR and AE+2.25% (P=0.936), with an Index Probability of >0.05, even though the equality is greater between AR and AE+2.25% (Variance: P=0.993, t-test: P=0.998; c2: P=1.000) compared to the relationship between AR and ARI°C +14.81% (variance: P=0.819, t-test: P=0.813; c2: P=1.000). This fact might imply that AE+2.25% could be of greater use compared to ARI°C+14.81% to evaluate the surface of a lesion in place of AR.
CONCLUSIONS: It can therefore be concluded that by increasing the value of AE by 2.25% you get the value of AR. This calculation is very rapid and can be easily repeated in case of doubt or suspicion.