ISSUES IN MEDICAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY IN THE DIGITAL IMAGING ERA

摘要

Considerable effort is being applied by photogrammetrists to develop aids to medical measurement. But the photogrammetrists' effort is not being rewarded with routine usage in the medical world. This situation has become more complicated in the era of digital image processing, as measurement systems developed by non-photogrammetrists are finding commercial use. This report examines issues in photogrammetry's implementation in routine clinical measurement. It is concluded that there remain worthwhile applications of external bodily measurement in medical and health studies, and there are many applications for which realistic alternatives to photogrammetry have not been advanced. Some inconspicuous but useful areas of measurement, to which photogrammetrists have rarely paid attention and for which demand has not been recognised, deserve to be investigated. Many useful applications do not need sophisticated measurement. At the same time, medical photogrammetric developments which are not intended for commercial use should not be seen as unproductive. Photogrammetrists should note that, because digital photogrammetric methods involving targets can easily be adopted by non-photogrammetrists, photogrammetrists should concentrate on automated surface measurement through image matching. Good communication with those working closely with medicine and health is crucial. Photogrammetrists have failed to communicate beyond their own ranks, and have continued to be under-represented at relevant bio-medical conferences. ISPRS Working Group V/5 may now need to concentrate its meetings on one area of the body, or one type of measurement technique. The Working Group needs to publicise photogrammetry's capabilities, and must continue to report relevant medical photogrammetry matters back to the ISPRS membership.