SP33. Pre- And Postoperative Visualization In Rhinoplasty: Effects Of Overhead LED Photography On Image Integrity

Abstract

Purpose: Lighting conditions during the pre- and postoperative visits are a critical factor in capturing the effects of rhinoplasty for patients suffering from nasal deformities and irregularities. Accurate photographic documentation is needed for preoperative planning, provider assessment of quality of surgery, and for providing proof of benefit to patients. We aimed to quantitatively characterize the effects of overhead LED lights in rhinoplasty photography. Methods: This study was conducted in an academic hospital clinic office, where rhinoplasty pictures were taken from the six standard angles for pre- and postoperative photography: (1) frontal, (2) basal, (3) right lateral, (4) left lateral, (5) right three-quarters oblique, and (6) left three-quarters oblique. Photos were taken from two LED continuous panel lights placed at 45 degrees from the study model. No external flash was used. An overhead LED light was used in one set of photos in all six angles and compared to no overhead light. Rapid colorimetric image analysis was conducted (Trigit, 2023). Hex color values were compared to a reference photo to evaluate colorimetric distortion. Three providers then independently reviewed the paired images to evaluate overall quality and accuracy including nasal structure distortion, image sharpness, and image noise. Results: Color accuracy was high using the LED lighting conditions across the various standard views. In comparing the LED overhead to no overhead rhinoplasty photos, color accuracy was maintained for both conditions in the frontal view, with 94% and 95% fidelity compared to the true reference. In the oblique view, however, LED overhead was only 80% compared to 85% color accuracy in the no overhead condition. Image structure distortion and noise was determined to be minimized in the no overhead condition for every view. Conclusion: Overhead LED lights provide an excellent representation of true form in frontal view, with the same color accuracy as without using an overhead LED. Structure distortion and noise was minimized when overhead LED lights were off. Future investigation is needed to explore the effect of camera flash on image quality. Plastic surgery clinics utilizing overhead LED lights should be cognizant of its effects to optimize pre- and post-operative documentation.