Analysis of mucosal blood hemoglobin distribution in gastric ulcers by computerized color display on electronic...

A technique of computerized color display was used to analyze the mucosal blood hemoglobin distribution in patients with gastric ulcers. Using an electronic endoscope, red and green images (Vr and Vg) obtained separately from the electronic endoscopic image were transferred to an image analyzer and a computer. The mucosal hemoglobin content was calculated at each pixel of the image using the formula: index of hemoglobin content = 32[log2(Vr/Vg)]. Forty endoscopy examinations were performed in 15 patients with small ulcers (less than or equal to 1 cm) in the gastric angle and 5 normal subjects. The index of hemoglobin content ranged from 24 to 40 in the normal subjects. The index for the area around an active ulcer was mostly below 33. In cases of ulcers in the healing stage it increased to more than 40. The index was still above 40 in ulcer scars in the S1 stage, but within normal range in most of the mucosa in the S2 stage. Thus, the mucosal blood hemoglobin distribution can be assessed by computerized color analysis in patients with gastric ulcers at various stages.