Digital dual band infrared imaging in assessment of nitrogen mustard injury in skin

Digital Dual-Band Infrared Imaging (DDBII) is a non invasive technique for speedy examinations of skin contamination/injury due to mustard exposure. In preliminary studies, live pig skin was exposed to nitrogen mustard (HN2) which was used as a surrogate agent for sulfur mustard. Thirty minute exposures of pig skin to HN2 produced visible erythema after a couple of hours, while the vehicle only (ethanol) treated spots remained unchanged. On the other hand, DDBII examination of the agent and vehicle treated spots, starting at 20 minutes with follow up readings at 1.5, 3, 6 and 22 hours post exposure, revealed a general cooling of the HN2 treated areas. At 22 hours a transient heat stress challenge failed to produce the expected normal flush in HN2 treated areas, indicating a possible lack of sympathetic response, the mechanism of which needs to be elucidated. DDBII was able to detect mustard contamination/injury prior to the clinical manifestations. This makes DDBII a promising technique for evaluating the efficacy of prophylactic drug candidates for mustards. DDBII also has the potential for use in evaluation of exposure to mustards in the field with on-site or remote, real time evaluations