UTEP Researchers Help Develop Deep Tissue Imaging Technology for Early Detection of Wounds

April 04, 2013 | UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Dr. Velez-Reyes

Miguel Velez-Reyes, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso, is working with Spectral MD to help develop new, non-invasive technology to see deep within the human skin to assess tissue health and provide earlier detection of bed sores, damage from burns, infections and cancer.

Velez-Reyes, a nationally recognized expert in remote sensing, is developing algorithms for the company to use within the technology known as a DeepView imaging system, which works like a video camera and is able to perceive what the trained eye cannot.

"We're developing algorithms to automate the process of analyzing the videos, so that physicians can have a product to assist in diagnostics," Velez-Reyes said.

The imaging system collects information about blood flow beneath the skin – a critical indicator of tissue health and healing.

Early identification of compromised blood flow and related wounds is limited because these pathological mechanisms, in many cases, develop deep beneath the skin where they are hidden. As a result, clinicians are unable to adequately detect early signs of disease, or if patients are responding well to treatment.

DeepView imaging technology is expected to work quickly and cost-efficiently within hospitals, nursing homes and private practice offices without the use of harmful radiation.

"Our algorithms will be able to take the video data and identify regions of interest, which will certainly have a great impact in diagnosis," Velez-Reyes said.

Electrical and computer engineering doctoral student Mohammed Alkhatib is also working on the project.