The use of fractal analysis in medicine: A literature review

Abstract

In many areas of science, there is a need to assess the complexity of the analyzed objects. One instrument used to assess this complexity can be fractal analysis, which provides a quantitative measure in the form of a fractal dimension. A fractal dimension is a quantitative parameter used for measuring the complexity of the examined objects. Fractal analysis is the process of information processing, where the input data is an image. The generated information is stored in the form of numbers, an array of numbers, the decision of the text etc. The implementation of the image processing requires a computer system. In the publications of recent years, there is increasing interest in the potential use of fractal analysis in many fields of science, including medicine. Fractal analysis expands the capabilities of the diagnosis of systemic diseases, facilitat-ing and accelerating their examination. In dentistry, the calculation of the fractal dimension can be a tool for early detection of a periapical lesion on the basic X-rays. Fractal analysis can also be a helpful indicator in predicting the primary stability of an implant. On the basis of the literature and own experience, the authors sum up the use of fractal analysis in accordance with current medical knowledge.