Multimodal facial color imaging modality for objective analysis of skin lesions.

We introduce a multimodal facial color imaging modality that provides a conventional color image, parallel and cross-polarization color images, and a fluorescent color image. We characterize the imaging modality and describe the image analysis methods for objective evaluation of skin lesions. The parallel and cross-polarization color images are useful for the analysis of skin texture, pigmentation, and vascularity. The polarization image, which is derived from parallel and cross-polarization color images, provides morphological information of superficial skin lesions. The fluorescent color image is useful for the evaluation of skin chromophores excited by UV-A radiation. In order to demonstrate the validity of the new imaging modality in dermatology, sample images were obtained from subjects with various skin disorders and image analysis methods were applied for objective evaluation of those lesions. In conclusion, we are confident that the imaging modality and analysis methods should be useful tools to simultaneously evaluate various skin lesions in dermatology.