Image-based tools to detect cesarean wound infections from photos and heat images in diverse women
Official title: Image-based algorithms for remote cesarean surgical site infection diagnoses in diverse populations
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11402719 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-friendly way to use photos and thermal images to detect cesarean wound infections early, helping mothers in various countries get timely care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $267,385 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD112403-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402719 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women who recently had a cesarean delivery and are in Rwanda, Ghana, or Mexico, with access to follow-up imaging
✕Less likely to help
Women not meeting the imaging follow-up schedule or those not in the specified sites may not directly benefit
What this research studies
This project tests two image-based methods to spot infections after cesarean delivery: one using regular photos of the incision and another using heat images. Researchers will follow 6,000 women across Rwanda, Ghana, and Mexico to collect wound images on about postoperative day 10 and compare them to clinical diagnoses. The goal is to see if these tools work well across different skin tones and in settings where follow-up is hard to access. If successful, the approach could be integrated into community health worker programs to speed up treatment and improve outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tools could enable earlier detection of infections and quicker treatment, reducing complications for new mothers.
How similar studies have gone: Prior similar work showed reasonably high sensitivity and specificity in image-based infection detection but needs validation in diverse populations
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany
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Remote photo and thermal checks to spot cesarean wound infections
This project uses photos and thermal images to help healthcare workers detect wound infections after cesarean delivery in women from Rwanda, Ghana, and Mexico.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.