Surgery – Diagnostic testing
Patent
1996-08-21
1998-04-21
Bahr, Jennifer
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
33512, A61B 5107
Patent
active
057412120
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a blemish assessor, for example a device for use in assessing changing conditions in skin blemishes, particularly but not exclusively of pigmented spots or moles.
It is important in the assessment and/or treatment of skin blemishes such as those commonly known as moles to detect changes in those abnormalities at an early stage. Such changes often give an early suspicion of possible malignancy.
It is difficult to assess such changes as eg increase in size, shape, colour or thickness by memory and a person may either wishfully see no change in condition or, alternatively generate unwarranted alarm by imagining changes that are not in fact occurring.
Prior proposals in this field include: GB-A-2,159,943, U.S. Pat No. 4,422,759, GB-A-2. 164,447 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,702.
There is described in WO-A-92/14402 a device for assessing a skin blemish comprising a multi-functional tool having a colour scale along one edge and a size scale along its opposite edge, together with a distance scale for recording the distance of a blemish from a fixed reference point.
None of the above prior proposals discloses a convenient means for identifying a skin blemish and conveniently assessing it in relation to two or more of its characteristics substantially simultaneously.
It is an object of this invention to provide means for enabling any such changes to be readily and accurately assessed and for assisting in recording such changes, and/or to provide improvements generally in relation to the above or related requirements.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a device for the assessment of skin blemishes, as defined in the accompanying claims.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a device for enabling measurements to be made in respect of various characteristics of a skin blemish as claimed in the accompanying claims.
In an embodiment a device for the assessment of skin blemishes comprises at least two blemish assessment elements. Each assessment element comprises a graded or graduated scale or sequence of blemish criteria. The assessment elements are mounted for movement relative to each other and alongside each other, whereby a skin blemish may be positioned adjacent both scales or sequences and matched with the relevant portion of the scale or sequence of blemish criteria on each scale simultaneously. In this way, a systematic approach to assessment of blemish criteria is provided which avoids the uncertainties of comparison with criteria by memory and the uncertainty arising from carrying out assessments at time-spaced intervals.
In the embodiment, the assessment elements are of circular form and mounted for rotation relative to each other, with the scales or sequences of blemish criteria extending in circular or arcuate form likewise. In this way, a device of compact and convenient form is provided.
Also in the embodiment, the assessment elements are adapted to enable a blemish to be visually assessed while positioned below the device by having the assessment elements formed with apertures and/or comprising at least portions of a transparent material. Accordingly, this enables a blemish to be positioned adjacent both scales of the device conveniently and effectively for visual assessment purposes.
Also in the embodiment, the scales or sequences of blemish criteria comprise size criteria and colour criteria and degree of acuteness criteria. The latter includes such criteria as itching, inflammation, bleeding, crusting, irregular outline, and colour variation.
For the assessment of size, the embodiment provides a sequence of defined closed shapes, such as circles, of graded sizes. This represents a convenient and effective mode of size-assessment.
For assessment of depth criteria, the device comprises depth-matching portions, for example of tapering or differing depth, on one of the assessment elements, which portions carry depth data and can be matched with the depth of the blemish in question.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a device for
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patent: 4483075 (1984-11-01), Kundin
patent: 5000172 (1991-03-01), Ward
patent: 5265605 (1993-11-01), Afflerbach
Bahr Jennifer
Ruddy David M.
Schindler Edwin D.
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