APULSI
What is APULSI?
The Automatic Pressure ULcer Severity Index (APULSI) is a scoring system for the severity assessment of pressure ulcers.
How to take pictures
Image quality affects algorithm performance. A guide with essential tips for image acquisition is available. This section is dedicated to the photo capture process for APULSI computation.
How does APULSI work?
APULSI uses convolutional neural networks trained on a dataset comprising thousands of images annotated by experts. The algorithm quantifies the extent and intensity of erythema and combines that measurement with the reported findings.
Request APULSI score
{
"requestId": "90925097-820b-403d-a75d-4cd989903df1",
"data": {
"type": "image",
"modality": "clinical",
"operator": "Practitioner",
"bodySite": "LOWER_LEG_LEFT",
"knownConditionForThisImage": {
"conclusion": "Pressure ulcer"
},
"subject": {
"identifier": "6ec724a0-6fa3-11eb-a15f-0242ac160004",
"gender": "F",
"height": 158,
"weight": 49,
"birthdate": "1994-04-10",
"generalPractitioner": {
"identifier": "44f89a8c-6f8a-11eb-9c8a-0242ac160004"
},
"managingOrganization": {
"identifier": "b13cd636-327b-11ec-86b0-0242ac180004",
"display": "Hospital Central"
}
},
"scoringSystems": ["APULSI", "DLQI"],
"questionnaireResponse": {
"APULSI": {
"odor_apusa": 1,
"pain_apusa": 0,
"erythema_surface": 2
},
"DLQI": {
"question1": 2,
"question2": 3,
"question3": 1,
"question4": 2,
"question5": 1,
"question6": 2,
"question7": 2,
"question8": 2,
"question9": 3,
"question10": 2
}
},
"content": "base64 image"
}
}
Questionnaire for scoring system
{
"code": "APULSI",
"questions": [
{
"code": "odor_apusa",
"label": "Odor",
"description": "null",
"answers": [
{ "label": "No", "value": "0" },
{ "label": "Yes", "value": "1" }
],
"openField": false
},
{
"code": "pain_apusa",
"label": "Pain",
"description": "null",
"answers": [
{ "label": "No", "value": "0" },
{ "label": "Yes", "value": "1" }
],
"openField": false
},
{
"code": "erythema_surface",
"label": "Affected area",
"description": "",
"openField": true
}
]
}
The measurement of erythema surface is automated. However, to convert the output into a specific metric unit, a reference marker is required. In the absence of this marker, the alternative is to input the value manually.
Response
"evolution": {
"domains": {
"APULSI": {
"explainabilityMedia": {
"content": "base 64 image",
"detections": null
},
"facets": {
"erythemaIntensity": {
"intensity": 40,
"value": 4
}
},
"grade": {
"category": null,
"score": 3
}
}
}
}
The APULSI does not have a translation into the more clinician-friendly concepts of “mild”, “moderate”, “severe” or “very severe”, and therefore a null output is given for the category key.