Photographic Principles of Medical Documentation

Abstract

The standardization in photography in plastic surgery is a very important issue and has been exhaustively discussed in the last years. The documentation of images in scientific research must be done in a systemic and standardized way in order to allow its reproducibility [1]. This enables the validation and comparison of techniques as well as the analysis of results maintaining the scientific accuracy. The clinical photograph must always be taken by the same camera, film, lenses, distances, luminosity, and the same position of the patient [2, 3]. The use of a leveled tripod, electronic flash, spotlights, and markers and the standardization of the distance between the feet and the photographic background are very important technical elements [4]. The photographic background must be of gray color or surgical blue (royal blue), nonreflective. The spotlights (two units) are positioned at 45°, and the leveled tripod allows the adequate framework, which allows the stabilization of the image. The photographic incidences (front, right and left oblique, and right and left side) must be standardized (Fig. 9.1).