PowerPoint Presentation

Visualizing Vascular and Pigment Structures using Dermoscopy & Targeted Luminance AdjustmentsKatharine Hanlon, BFA1, Michael B. Muntifering, BS2, Kara N. Shah, MD, PhD1,31Division of Pediatric Dermatology, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center 2Confocal Imaging Core, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center3Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati

Technical Specifications & EquipmentDSLR or point-and-shoot camera with RAW capability

Dermoscope for use with camera

Computer software to process RAW image files

Luminance adjustments to enhance color contrast of pigment or vascularityTwo primary adjustments are made to red & orange luminance levels. To highlight vascularity within a lesion, the red channel should be reduced to 0, orange is raised to the maximum value. Color balance, tint and exposure may also need to be adjusted depending on the camera settings with which the dermatoscopic photograph was acquired. To accentuate the pigment network, the opposite luminance settings are applied. By reducing the orange to 0 and increasing the red, pigment contrast is strengthened and appears more clearly.

Targeted adjustments are made to red & orange luminance channels revealing the vascular structures in a nodular melanoma. Irregular linear-polymorphous vessels become more apparent.

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Examples of pigment and vascular accentuation in various skin lesions

Top Left: clinical photograph. Top Right: unprocessed dermascopic photo. Bottom Left: vascular accentuation. Bottom Right: pigment accentuation