3D scanning of lymphoedema arms
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploiting 3D scanning technology in lymphoedema for accurate and fast measurements of volume and shape
IRAS ID
193784
Contact name
Cheryl E Pike
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Abertawe Bro-Morgannwg University Health Board
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 1 days
Research summary
This research study is to be carried out in an attempt to compare the use of new 3D photo technology to standard methods of measuring the size of a limb for people with lymphoedema; improve the time taken for diagnosing Lymphoedema as well as performing more advanced analysis of the data obtained from diagnosis. This is completed in order to create accurate monitoring of fluid drainage.
Improvements to diagnosis time will be accomplished using an ASUS Xtion pro live motion sensing camera and a camera rig. This equipment is used to create 3D meshes of the affected limbs in the form of stereolithographs (STLs). These files are produced by using the program RecFusion and vertically rotating the ASUS camera 360 degrees around the patient’s limb, which will be horizontally situated in line with the axis of rotation.
Data analysis can then be performed on these STL files. MatLab functions will be created to calculate the volume, area and shape of the meshes, which can then be recorded to visually show patients response to treatment over time. However the data also allows for diagnostic methods which the Lymphoedema clinic has not used before such as visually comparing the infected and healthy arms to show areas most severely affected.
The scans will be completed by Lymphoedema specialists in conjunction with normal patient monitoring and will take place in both Lymphoedema clinics at Cimla Hospital and Singleton Hospital.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
16/WS/0127
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jun 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion