Device and method for quantifying edema

• US 20090043229A1
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University Of Massachusetts, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Original Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Inventors: Billiar, Kristen L., Dunn, Raymond M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,425,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0053 by applying pressure, e.g. compression, indentation, palpation, grasping, gauging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment

Abstract

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed at a device that provides a reliable, accurate and quantifiable measure of a patient'"'"'s edema. The device improves on the current method of digital manipulation by evaluating the pitting phenomena in a user-independent manner. The output of the device allows a physician to categorize edema into at least ten different levels of severity. The systems of the present invention provides the ability to distinguish between tissues of varying viscosity.

Claims

1. An edema measurement device comprising:

a housing;

a displacement member attached to the housing that is actuated to displace tissue of a patient; and

a sensor that measures displacement of the displacement member.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a battery to provide power to the device.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising an electromechanical actuator.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the actuator comprises an LVDT.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a display on a processing circuit.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising an actuator on the housing that controls device operation.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a programmable processor in the housing.