摘要
OBJECTIVE:To examine whether color parameters of tongue inspection(TI)using a digital camera was reliable and valid,and to examine which color parameters serve as predictors of symptom patterns in terms of East Asian medicine(EAM).METHODS:Two hundred female subjects'tongue substances were photographed by a mega-pixel digital camera.Together with the photographs,the subjects were asked to complete Yin deficiency,Phlegm pattern,and Cold-Heat pattern questionnaires.Using three sets of digital imaging software,each digital image was exposure-and white balance-corrected,and finally L*(luminance),a*(red-green balance),and b*(yellow-blue balance)values of the tongues werecalculated.To examine intra-and inter-rater reliabilities and criterion validity of the color analysis method,three raters were asked to calculate color parameters for 20 digital image samples.Finally,four hierarchical regression models were formed.RESULTS:Color parameters showed good or excellent reliability(0.627-0.887 for intra-class correlation coefficients)and significant criterion validity(0.523-0.718 for Spearman's correlation).In the hierarchical regression models,age was a significant predictor of Yin deficiency(β=0.192),and b*value of the tip of the tongue was a determinant predictor of Yin deficiency,Phlegm,and Heat patterns(β=-0.212,-0.172,and-0.163).Luminance(L*)was predictive of Yin deficiency(β=-0.172)and Cold(β=0.173)pattern.CONCLUSION:Our results suggest that color analysis of the tongue using the L*a*b*system is reliable and valid,and that color parameters partially serve as symptom pattern predictors in EAM practice.
OBJECTIVE： To examine whether color parameters of tongue inspection（TI） using a digital camera was reliable and valid, and to examine which color parameters serve as predictors of symptom patterns in terms of East Asian medicine（EAM）.METHODS： Two hundred female subjects＇ tongue substances were photographed by a mega-pixel digital camera. Together with the photographs, the subjects were asked to complete Yin deficiency,Phlegm pattern, and Cold-Heat pattern questionnaires. Using three sets of digital imaging software, each digital image was exposure- and white balance-corrected, and finally L＊（luminance）, a＊（red-green balance）, and b＊（yellow-blue balance） values of the tongues werecalculated. To examine intra- and inter-rater reliabilities and criterion validity of the color analysis method, three raters were asked to calculate color parameters for 20 digital image samples. Finally, four hierarchical regression models were formed.RESULTS： Color parameters showed good or excellent reliability（0.627-0.887 for intra-class correlation coefficients） and significant criterion validity（0.523-0.718 for Spearman＇s correlation）. In the hierarchical regression models, age was a significant predictor of Yin deficiency（β = 0.192）,and b＊ value of the tip of the tongue was a determinant predictor of Yin deficiency, Phlegm,and Heat patterns（β =- 0.212,- 0.172, and- 0.163）. Luminance（L＊） was predictive of Yin deficiency（β =- 0.172） and Cold（β = 0.173）pattern.CONCLUSION： Our results suggest that color analysis of the tongue using the L＊a＊b＊ system is reliable and valid, and that color parameters partially serve as symptom pattern predictors in EAM practice.
关键词
模式预测
可靠性
医学
东亚
颜色参数
证候
舌色
数码相机
Medicine
East Asian Traditional
Complementary therapies
Tongue inspection
Yin deficiency
Symptom pattern
