Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Imaging skin pathology with polarized light.

Steven L Jacques1, Jessica C Ramella-Roman, Ken Lee

  • 1Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Dermatology, Portland, Oregon and Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Oregon Medical Laser Center, Portland, Oregon, USA. sjacques@ece.ogi.edu

Journal of Biomedical Optics
|August 15, 2002
PubMed
Summary

This study introduces a polarization imaging technique to differentiate superficial skin layers from deeper tissues. The polarization ratio (Pol) images effectively highlight skin structures and pathologies, improving diagnostic potential.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Protocol for quantifying and modeling light scattering in coral microskeletons.

STAR protocols·2026
Same author

PPG-Based Heart Rate Accuracy in Hispanic Adults with Fitzpatrick III-V Skin Tones: An Evaluation of Body Composition and Skin-Tone Effects.

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

What do we know about the epidermis' optical properties and their influence on optical device functionality?

Biophotonics discovery·2026
Same author

Structure of tendon causes highly optical anisotropic properties and transport.

Journal of biomedical optics·2026
Same author

Mechanistic Modeling of Hollow Fiber Fouling and Sieving Predictions for Continuous Bioprocessing.

Biotechnology and bioengineering·2026
Same author

Roadmap for light interaction with biophotonic surfaces and their diverse applications.

Journal of biomedical optics·2026

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Optics
  • Dermatology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Skin optics involve light scattering and depolarization by dermal components like collagen.
  • Distinguishing superficial from deep light interactions is crucial for skin imaging.
  • Polarization properties of light can reveal microstructural information about tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate a polarization imaging method for visualizing skin pathologies.
  • To compare standard visible light images with polarization ratio (Pol) images.
  • To assess the utility of Pol images in differentiating superficial and deep skin features.

Main Methods:

  • Acquisition of two images: parallel (I(par)) and perpendicular (I(per)) to illumination polarization.
  • Calculation of a polarization ratio image (Pol) using the formula: Pol=(I(par)-I(per))/(I(par)+I(per)).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Pilot clinical study comparing normal light images (I(per)) with Pol images of various skin conditions.

    • Main Results:

    • Pol images reveal distinct features of pigmented and unpigmented skin lesions.
    • The method successfully visualized various pathologies including nevi, carcinomas, and vascular abnormalities.
    • Analysis of shadow edges demonstrated Pol's sensitivity to superficial scattering, with a point spread function of ~390 microm.

    Conclusions:

    • Polarization imaging provides enhanced contrast for superficial skin structures.
    • Pol images offer valuable diagnostic information for a range of skin pathologies.
    • The technique shows promise for non-invasive skin assessment and diagnosis.