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Published on: January 21, 2015
Detection and visualization of intracutaneous allergic type-specific elements using long-wavelength near-infrared
Ken Nishino1, Toshiharu Fujiyama, Hideo Hashizume
1Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Japan. nishino06@vpac.cs.tut.ac.jp
Background/Purpose:
This study aimed to develop a method for the assessment of allergic dermatitis by using the long-wavelength near-infrared spectrum (more than 1000 nm) to detect intracutaneous allergic type-specific elements. Such a method was realized by establishing a spectral classifier for the spectra of type I and type IV allergic dermatitis reactions.
Methods:
Near-infrared spectral images of histamine-induced cutaneous reaction (type I) and contact hypersensitivity erythema elicited by squaric acid dibutylester (SADBE; type IV) were obtained, and the absorption spectra of normal and inflamed skin were extracted from these spectral images. A spectral classifier was established from these training datasets, and it was then applied to two test cases, red flare by methyl nicotinate (normal) and metal allergy (type IV).
Results:
The spectral classifier established by canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) achieved very accurate detection (normal: 87.67%, type I: 87.00%, type IV: 98.5%). Furthermore, the test cases were also correctly classified: the red flare induced by methyl nicotinate was categorized as normal skin and the metal allergy was categorized as a type IV allergic reaction.
Conclusions:
These results suggest a possible application of near-infrared spectral imaging to the assessment of allergic dermatitis.
