Abstract
A diagnosis criterion is proposed for noninvasive grading of burn injuries using terahertz radiation. Experimental results are presented from in vivo terahertz time-domain spectroscopy of second- and third-degree wounds, which are obtained in a 72-hour animal study. During this period, the change in the spectroscopic response of the burned tissue is studied. It is shown that terahertz waves are sensitive not only to the postburn formation of interstitial edema, but also to the density of skin structures derived from image processing analysis of histological sections. Based on these preliminary results, it is suggested that the combination of these two effects, as probed by terahertz spectroscopy of the tissue, may ultimately be used to differentiate partial-thickness burns that will naturally heal from those that will require surgical intervention.
Highlights
The survivors of almost 500,000 burn injuries that receive medical treatment each year in the U.S face immense social and economic costs during their recovery and reintegration period.[1,2] Characterization of burn injuries during the early postinjury assessment period is a critical decision point in determining the management course, healing process, and ultimate outcome, since the treatment of a given burn differs considerably depending upon the results of the initial assessment
Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)-stained histology of all samples confirmed the consistent formation of second- and the third-degree burns using this protocol
Biopsy samples were blindly studied by histopathologists, confirming the existence of second- and thirddegree burns, as appropriate, in every sample generated by this protocol
Summary
The survivors of almost 500,000 burn injuries that receive medical treatment each year in the U.S face immense social and economic costs during their recovery and reintegration period.[1,2] Characterization of burn injuries during the early postinjury assessment period is a critical decision point in determining the management course, healing process, and ultimate outcome, since the treatment of a given burn differs considerably depending upon the results of the initial assessment. In a partial-thickness (second-degree) burn, the extent of the damage is contained within the dermis layer. First-degree or superficial burns only involve the epidermis layer of the skin and usually heal without any scars or need for medical care. Third-degree injuries cannot heal without surgical and skin grafting procedures, whereas for second-degree wounds, the recovery progress consists of careful monitoring and infection prevention over a 2- to 3week period after the burn.[2,3] During this period, a subgroup of the second-degree burns will spontaneously heal, while others will develop to a full-thickness state and will require surgical intervention.[2] The complex nature of partial-thickness burns is due to the extent of irreversible thermal damage to the
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