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Measurement of facial movement with computer software
E W Sargent1, O A Fadhli, R S Cohen
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, St Louis University School of Medicine, MO 63110-0250, USA. sargente@slu.edu
Archives of Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery
|April 3, 1998
Summary
Desktop software can calculate the Nottingham score for objective facial movement grading. Digital subtraction shows potential for assessing facial function, warranting further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Medical Imaging
- Biomechanical Analysis
Background:
- The House and Brackmann facial nerve grading system, while a gold standard, suffers from subjective interpretation.
- Objective grading systems aim to quantify facial movement using digital image analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To adapt desktop computer software for objective grading of facial movement.
- To compare objective grading methods with the established House and Brackmann system.
Main Methods:
- Employed desktop software (Adobe Photoshop 3.0) to measure facial point movement for the Nottingham system.
- Utilized digital image subtraction to derive a facial movement score.
- Compared scores from the Nottingham system and digital subtraction with the House and Brackmann grade in healthy and impaired subjects.
Main Results:
- The Nottingham score demonstrated a high correlation (r = -0.97) with the House and Brackmann grade in patients with facial weakness.
- Digital subtraction yielded a moderate correlation (r = -0.62) with the House and Brackmann grade.
- High intersubject variability was observed when comparing oral commissure movement with digital subtraction-derived facial movement area.
Conclusions:
- Desktop computer software effectively calculates the Nottingham score for objective facial nerve assessment.
- Digital subtraction is a promising, albeit variable, method for quantifying facial movement that requires further research.