Noninvasive Imaging Technologies for Wound Assessment
Summary
Noninvasive imaging modalities have transformed wound assessment by providing objective, real-time insights into tissue structure, perfusion and oxygenation without disrupting the healing process. Optical techniques—such as hyperspectral and multispectral imaging—capture spectral reflectance to map chromophore distribution and estimate parameters like haemoglobin concentration and oxygen saturation. Spatial frequency domain imaging introduces patterned illumination to quantify scattering and absorption coefficients, offering depth-resolved information on collagen remodelling and vascular changes. Near-infrared spectroscopy and laser speckle contrast imaging monitor tissue oxygenation and microvascular blood flow, respectively, enabling early detection of ischaemia or delayed healing. Advances in optical coherence tomography and photoacoustic imaging further enhance resolution and penetration depth, revealing microstructural details and vascular networks. Integrating these technologies with portable platforms, smartphone attachments and telemedicine networks extends access to remote or resource-limited settings. Together, these noninvasive approaches support personalised wound management by guiding debridement, monitoring therapeutic response and predicting healing trajectories on a global scale.
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Noninvasive Imaging Technologies for Wound Assessment publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in noninvasive imaging technologies for wound assessment across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Hyperspectral imaging: Acquisition of high-resolution spectral data across numerous narrow bands to characterise tissue biochemical composition.
Multispectral imaging: Capture of reflectance images at several discrete wavelengths to assess chromophore concentrations and oxygenation.
Spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI): Technique using structured light patterns to quantify tissue absorption and scattering properties depth-dependently.
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS): Measurement of tissue oxygenation by analysing absorption of near-infrared light by oxy- and deoxyhaemoglobin.
Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI): Method that analyses fluctuations in scattered laser light to map real-time blood flow in microvasculature.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT): Noninvasive imaging modality that uses low-coherence interferometry to produce high-resolution cross-sectional images of tissue microstructure.
References
- Development and Validation of a Smartphone-Based Near-Infrared Optical Imaging Device to Measure Physiological Changes In-Vivo. Micromachines (2019).
- Validation of multispectral imaging–based tissue oxygen saturation detecting system for wound healing recognition on open wounds. Journal of Biomedical Optics (2024).
- Using spatial frequency domain imaging to monitor a skin biopsy wound: a pilot study. Biomedical Optics Express (2024).
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