[1] Education Department, Osaka Isen
[2] Department of Judo Therapy, Takarazuka Universitiy of Medical and Health Care
Purpose: We evaluated our method of evaluating the moxibustion technique in which moxibustion scars are scanned as images and analyzed.
Methods: Scars resulting from moxibustion performed on paper were scanned using a scanner, and image anal- ysis was performed using free software. In addition, the burning temperature was measured using a temperature sensor, and the relationship between the results of image analysis and burning temperature was investigated.
Results: The results of image analysis (the area, total density, and perimeter of scars) were correlated with the maximum burning temperature. An association between the results of image analysis and the moxa weight was also suggested. On the other hand, the results of image analysis varied with the scanning settings. In addition, there was a correlation between the results of image analysis and the integral values of the burning temperature and burning time. To assess the shape of the base of moxibustion scars, the circularity could be measured.
Conclusion: We found that the moxibustion technique can be evaluated by the image analysis of moxibustion scars. There was a marked correlation between the results of the image analysis and items such as the maximum burning temperature.
Keyword: Moxibustion scar, Image analysis, Moxibustion technique, Objective evaluation