Method and system for characterizing pigmentary disorders in an individual

1 . A method for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual, which comprises the following steps:

for each pigmentation disorder:

on a first date:

acquiring 2D images of a pigmentation disorder on said first date and from a plurality of viewing angles with a device for acquiring images and reconstructing at least one 3D image from processed 2D images with a reconstruction processing unit, wherein the reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with the reconstruction processing unit comprises reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with reflection-tomography based on an inverse Radon transform, and wherein the reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with the reconstruction processing unit comprises reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with an optronic system configured and/or operable for identification and formulating three-dimensional Images or a stereoscopic 3D reconstruction system,

storing said 2D images and 3D images in a first folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date,

computing from said 2D images and 3D images, predefined parameters of the pigmentation disorder via a first computing module having a processor, and storing said parameters in a second folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date, and

requesting an expert to evaluate said parameters, receiving an evaluation from the expert, and storing the evaluation in a third folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date,

iterating at least one of the previous four steps on a plurality of subsequent dates which are subsequent to said first date, and for each iteration:

comparing, with a display device data of the first, second and third folders in at least one period between the first date and the subsequent dates and identifying changes in said data with a second computing module having a processor, the comparison of the same individual's pigmentation disorder, between the first date and the subsequent dates, being based on a user interaction which comprises selecting one among the subsequent dates, and further based on any change if the first date and the one among the subsequent dates are not immediately consecutive,

storing the changes in at least one fourth folder, associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date, with one fourth folder per period,

for each fourth folder, grouping the first, second, third and fourth folders associated with said first date into a fifth folder with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date, defining a snapshot of the pigmentation disorder, and

aggregating the fifth folders into a sixth folder with the individual and with the pigmentation disorder, defining a dynamic profile of the pigmentation disorder,

iterating the previous steps to obtain a sixth folder for each other pigmentation disorder of the individual, and

generating, for the individual, a knowledge base of his or her pigmentation disorders by aggregating the sixth folders,

wherein the method provides identification of a progression of skin pigmentation disorders of the individual.

2 . The method for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the parameters are computed by the first computing module from the 2D images and the parameters are at least an asymmetry, a border, a color, and a diameter.

3 . The method for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the parameters are computed by the first computing module from reconstructed 3D images and the parameters comprise a 3D isodensity, a volume diameter, a thickness above a surface of the skin, a depth, a number of roots, an irregularity of the depth, an area on the skin, and a volume of voxels contained in the 3D isodensity.

4 . A system for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual, comprising a processor programmed to implement the following steps:

for each pigmentation disorder:

on a first date:

acquiring 2D images of a pigmentation disorder on said first date and from a plurality of viewing angles with a device for acquiring images and reconstructing at least one 3D image from processed 2D images with a reconstruction processing unit, wherein the reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with the reconstruction processing unit comprises reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with reflection-tomography based on an inverse Radon transform, and wherein the reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with the reconstruction processing unit comprises reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with an optronic system configured and/or operable for identification and formulating three-dimensional Images or a stereoscopic 3D reconstruction system

storing said 2D images and 3D images in a first folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date,

computing from said 2D images and 3D images, predefined parameters of the pigmentation disorder via a first computing module of the system, and storing said parameters in a second folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date, and

acquiring an evaluation of said parameters and storing said evaluation in a third folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date,

iterating at least one of the previous four steps on a plurality of subsequent dates which are subsequent to said first date, and for each iteration:

comparing data of the first, second and third folders in at least one period between the first date and the subsequent dates and identifying changes in said data with a second computing module of the system, the comparison of the same individual's pigmentation disorder, between the first date and the subsequent dates, being based on a user interaction which comprises selecting one among the subsequent dates, and further based on any change if the first date and the one among the subsequent dates are not immediately consecutive,

storing the changes in at least one fourth folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date, with one fourth folder per period,

for each fourth folder, grouping the first, second, third and fourth folders associated with said first date into a fifth folder with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and said first date, defining a snapshot of the pigmentation disorder, and

aggregating the fifth folders into a sixth folder with the individual and with the pigmentation disorder, defining a dynamic profile of the pigmentation disorder,

iterating the previous steps to obtain a sixth folder for each other pigmentation disorder of the individual, and

generating, for the individual, a knowledge base of his or her pigmentation disorders by aggregating the sixth folders,

wherein the system is configured to identify a progression of skin pigmentation disorders of the individual.

5 . The system for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the parameters are computed by the first computing module from the 2D images and the parameters are at least an asymmetry, a border, a color, and a diameter.

6 . The system for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the parameters are computed by the first computing module from reconstructed 3D images and the parameters comprise a 3D isodensity, a volume diameter, a thickness above a surface of the skin, a depth, a number of roots, an irregularity of the depth, an area on the skin, and a volume of voxels contained in the 3D isodensity.

7 . The method for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

configuring the device for acquiring images with at least one emitter of light sources that are optimized in order to allow a light wave to penetrate into an epidermis and a dermis;

configuring the device for acquiring images with a set of receivers configured to operate in a visible band, an infrared (IR) band, and/or a near IR band;

configuring the device for acquiring images with a device to position the set of receivers in at least two viewing angles; and

obtaining at least one image per viewing angle with the set of receivers.

8 . The method for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

configuring a display device to display 2D processed images; and

configuring the display device to display a reconstructed 3D image.

9 . The system for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 4 ,

wherein the device for acquiring images is configured with at least one emitter of light sources that is configured to be optimized in order to allow a light wave to penetrate into an epidermis and a dermis;

wherein the device for acquiring images is configured with a set of receivers configured to operate in a visible band, an infrared (IR) band, and/or a near IR band; and

wherein the device for acquiring images is configured with a device configured to position the set of receivers in at least two viewing angles so as to obtain at least one image per viewing angle.

10 . The system for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a display device to display 2D processed images and/or display a reconstructed 3D image.

11 . The method for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising automatically generating data for the folders that comprise the 2D images and 3D images.

12 . The system for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 4 being configured and/or operable to automatically generate data for the folders that comprise the 2D images and 3D images.

13 . The system for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the reconstruction processing unit is configured and/or operable for reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with reflection-tomography based on an inverse Radon transform.

14 . The system for characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the reconstruction processing unit is configured and/or operable for reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with an optronic system configured and/or operable for identification and formulating three-dimensional Images or a stereoscopic 3D reconstruction system.

15 . A system for imaging a pigmentation disorder and characterizing skin pigmentation disorders of an individual, comprising a processor programmed to implement the system being configured and/or operable to implement following steps:

for each pigmentation disorder:

on a first date:

acquiring 2D images of a pigmentation disorder on said first date and from a plurality of viewing angles with a device for acquiring images and reconstructing at least one 3D image from processed 2D images with a reconstruction processing unit, wherein the reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with the reconstruction processing unit comprises reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with reflection-tomography based on an inverse Radon transform, and wherein the reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with the reconstruction processing unit comprises reconstructing the at least one 3D image from the processed 2D images with an optronic system configured and/or operable for identification and formulating three-dimensional Images or a stereoscopic 3D reconstruction system,

storing said 2D images and 3D images in a first folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date,

computing from said 2D images and 3D images, predefined parameters of the pigmentation disorder via a first computing module of the system, and storing said parameters in a second folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date, and

acquiring an evaluation of said parameters and storing said evaluation in a third folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date,

iterating at least one of the previous four steps on a plurality of subsequent dates which are subsequent to said first date, and for each iteration:

comparing data of the first, second and third folders in at least one period between the first date and the subsequent dates with a second computing module,

identifying changes in said data with the second computing module of the system, the comparison of the same individual's pigmentation disorder, between the first date and the subsequent dates, being based on a user interaction which comprises selecting one among the subsequent dates, and further based on any change if the first date and the one among the subsequent dates are not immediately consecutive,

storing the changes in at least one fourth folder associated with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and with said first date, with one fourth folder per period,

for each fourth folder, grouping the first, second, third and fourth folders associated with said first date into a fifth folder with the individual, with the pigmentation disorder and said first date, defining a snapshot of the pigmentation disorder, and

aggregating the fifth folders into a sixth folder with the individual and with the pigmentation disorder, defining a dynamic profile of the pigmentation disorder,

iterating the previous steps to obtain a sixth folder for each other pigmentation disorder of the individual, and

generating, for the individual, a knowledge base of his or her pigmentation disorders by aggregating the sixth folders,

wherein the system is configured to identify a progression of skin pigmentation disorders of the individual;

wherein the system is configured and/or operable to automatically generate data for the folders that comprise the 2D images and 3D images;

wherein the device for acquiring images is configured with at least one emitter of light sources that is configured to be optimized in order to allow a light wave to penetrate into an epidermis and a dermis;

wherein the device for acquiring images is configured with a set of receivers configured to operate in a visible band, an infrared (IR) band, and/or a near IR band; and

wherein the device for acquiring images is configured with a device configured to position the set of receivers in at least two viewing angles so as to obtain at least one image per viewing angle.