Surgery – Truss – Pad
Patent
1980-09-17
1983-04-12
Howell, Kyle L.
Surgery
Truss
Pad
346 33ME, 346 33TP, 374112, 374124, 374137, A61B 500, A61B 502
Patent
active
043794610
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus for use in medical thermography for diagnostic purposes, i.e. for determining and registering the temperature of the surface of the skin of a patient, and in particular for detecting disturbances in the circulation in the limbs of a patient, such as the occurrence of deep venous thrombosis or arterial embolisms.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that disturbances in the blood circulation in limbs causes the temperature of the skin to deviate from normal values. This fact has been utilized in diagnosing the aforementioned disorders in circulation, IR-scanning cameras being used to this end. Such cameras, however, are expensive and are relatively complicated in use, and hence a more comprehensive use of IR-scanning cameras for detecting and diagnosing disturbances in circulation by thermography is hardly conceivable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatus for thermographic diagnosis which is simpler, less expensive and more easily used than those apparatus used hitherto, and which is especially suited for the aforedescribed purpose.
The invention is based on a novel method of detecting and diagnosing disturbances in the circulation in a patient's leg, by measuring the temperature of the skin along a suitable line on each of the two legs of the patient and then comparing the two temperature curves thus obtained, any deviations or asymmetry between the two temperature curves indicating the presence of irregularities in the circulation in one or the other of said legs. Tests carried out in patients have shown that this thermographic method provides for the reliable diagnosis of the aforedescribed kind of disturbances in blood circulation.
The thermographic apparatus according to the invention is primarily constructed and intended for making thermographic examinations of the aforedescribed kind, although it can also be used for other thermographic examinations, as will be made clear hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration in perspective of an apparatus according to the invention, while being used to thermographically examine the leg of a patient;
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating by way of example temperature curves of the kind which can be obtained by means of an apparatus according to the invention when carrying out a thermographic examination of the aforedescribed kind; and
FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of the construction of the signal-processing part of an apparatus according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a thermographic apparatus according to the invention, generally referenced 1, said apparatus in the illustrated embodiment comprising a roller table mounted on lockable rollers or wheels. The apparatus is illustrated in conjunction with examining the legs of a patient thermographically, in order to detect any irregularities of the circulation in the legs. For the sake of simplicity, only the left leg 2 of the patient is shown, said patient lying on an examination bed 3 or the like.
The apparatus according to the invention also includes a temperature transducer or sensor 4 of suitable kind arranged to sense the temperature of a closely adjacent surface, such as the surface of the skin of a part of a body, and to produce a corresponding electrical output signal. The temperature transducer 4 may, to advantage, be an infrared detector which when sensing the temperature of the surface of said skin need not be in direct contact therewith, but measures the temperature by detecting heat radiation transmitted from the surface of said skin within a given area. Infrared detectors which have variable focusing are known to the art, so that it is possible to vary the size of the area from which heat radiation is received and in which the temperature
REFERENCES:
patent: 2967939 (1961-01-01), Caha et al.
patent: 3306282 (1967-02-01), Pierce
patent: 3877463 (1975-04-01), Cary et al.
patent: 3970074 (1976-07-01), Mogos et al.
patent: 3980073 (1976-09-01), Shaw
patent: 4182312 (1980-01-01), Mushabac
Gould, Inc., Data Display, vol. 1, No. 2, p. 7.
Nilsson Erling S.
Zetterquist Staffan G.
Hanley John C.
Howell Kyle L.
LandOfFree
Thermographic apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Thermographic apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Thermographic apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-936132