Image-based detection and diagnosis of diastasis recti
A method for diagnosing a condition of a subject includes imaging an abdominal area of the subject to obtain one or more images of the abdominal area. Separation between rectus abdominis muscles in the abdominal area is located from the one or more images. Distance of the separation between the rectus abdominis muscles is quantified. The results of the quantified distance and one or more images are outputted on one or more display units.
1. A method for diagnosing a condition of a subject, comprising:
imaging surface skin of an abdominal area in vivo, using an imaging sensor sensitive to infrared radiation, of the subject to obtain one or more images of the abdominal area;
identifying subcutaneous features including separation between rectus abdominis muscles in the abdominal area in the one or more images;
quantifying distance across the separation between the rectus abdominis muscles from the one or more images; and
outputting the results of the quantified distance and one or more images.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging sensor is sensitive to near-infrared radiation.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging sensor is sensitive to short-wavelength infrared radiation.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein imaging the abdominal area includes illuminating the abdominal area with at least one of a near-infrared illumination source and a shortwave infrared illumination source.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using automated edge detection to identify one or more regions in the abdominal area.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the separation includes characterizing one or more regions in the one or more images based on value.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein low value regions are indicative of regions containing fluid and high value regions are indicative of regions containing muscle.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the separation defines a low value region in the one or more images.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein quantifying the distance includes measuring a span of the low value region.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising making a determination of whether a diastasis recti condition is present based on the quantified distance.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising diagnosing the diastasis recti condition when the quantified distance exceeds a threshold.
12. A system for diagnosing a condition of a subject, comprising:
one or more imaging components; and
a processor operatively coupled to a memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
image surface skin of an abdominal area in vivo, using an imaging sensor sensitive to infrared radiation, of the subject to obtain one or more images of the abdominal area;
identify subcutaneous features including separation between rectus abdominis muscles in the abdominal area in the one or more images;
quantify distance across the separation between the rectus abdominis muscles from the one or more images; and
output the results of the quantified distance and one or more images.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the image sensor is sensitive to near-infrared radiation.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the image sensor is sensitive to shortwave infrared radiation.
15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising at least one of a near-infrared illumination source and a shortwave infrared illumination source for imaging the abdominal area.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein quantifying the distance includes measuring a span of low value region defined as the separation between the rectus abdominis muscles.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to make a determination of whether a diastasis recti condition is present based on the quantified distance.