The effects of time and light exposure on contact and pressure measurements using Fuji prescale film.

The search for methods to demonstrate and accurately measure contact area and pressure within human joints has been and remains an active one. Presenssor is a measuring system developed by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. and used in medical applications. The color intensity fades with time and exposure to light. These changes have not been well documented despite the increasing use of Fuji film in biomedical research. These changes in color intensity provide a source of error in the calculated measurements. The known variability of the color density of film exposed to light and air can be measured and predicted. Methods to control and improve the accuracy and reliability of study data are suggested. Film was exposed to three different amounts of pressure and placed into one of four subgroups: exposed to light and taped or not taped, and stored in the dark and taped or not taped. Fading of the color density was seen after only a few hours of exposure to light when the film was left untaped. When the film was taped, a slight darkening was seen. For the best accuracy and reliability, the film should be digitized or analyzed within eight hours of exposure to pressure.