INTRAVAGINAL DIMENSIONING SYSTEM

• US 20110188716A1
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Illuminare Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Illuminare Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Ziarno, Andrew W., Bennett, James D.
• Application Number:
  US12/890,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20110188716A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00034 rechargeable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00135 Oversleeves mounted on the endoscope prior to insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/303 for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/42 Gynaecological or obstetrical instruments or methods ligaturing clamps or clips for the umbilical cord A61B17/122; curettage A61B17/320708; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/425 for reproduction or fertilisation specially adapted for use with animals A61D19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/035 Intra-uterine probes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/344 Foetal cardiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4318 Evaluation of the lower reproductive system A61B5/4343 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4343 Pregnancy and labour monitoring, e.g. for labour onset detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68 Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/023 : for introduction into the body, e.g. into the oesophagus oesophageal ECG probes A61B5/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 : in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 : related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 : Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 : Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0611 : Vagina
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0603 : for treatment of body cavities
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 : ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 : for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

An intravaginal monitoring device and its supporting network infrastructure; wherein the intravaginal monitoring device generates scaling and dimensioning, using infrared, ultraviolet or laser signals, in conjunction with a supporting software at the server and/or client sides. The scaling and dimensioning are performed using one or more of many possible algorithmic and hardware based techniques. Reproductive health care management web pages or system interfaces present scaling and dimensioning and emphasis changes over time. The generations scaling and dimensioning, including color and shade variation identifications, incorporate various schemes for a woman'"'"'s cervix during routine checkup, cervix and aperture openings during pregnancy checkup, and cervix containing an artifact during checkup and treatments. The artifact may represent, for example, stages of ovulation, pregnancy, infections, sexually transmitted diseases and cancer.

Claims

1. An monitoring device sized for at least partial insertion into a vaginal channel, the vaginal channel having a cervix disposed therein, and the monitoring device comprising:

a housing having an anterior portion and a posterior portion;

an imager, disposed within the anterior portion of the housing, that captures imager data;

at least one sensing component disposed within the anterior portion of the housing;

processing circuitry coupled to the imager and the at least one sensing component; and

the at least one sensing component together with the processing circuitry provides a first type of measurement information that can be applied to the imager data.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing component comprises at least one photodetecting component that is independent of the imager.

3. The monitoring device of claim 2, further comprising an emitter that delivers emissions, via reflection off of the cervix, to the at least one sensing component.

4. The monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising communication circuitry through which the first type of measurement information is passed outside of the monitoring device.

5. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing component comprises a position sensitive detector.

6. The monitoring device of claim 3, wherein the imager data comprises color information to be used in a colorization analysis.

7. A monitoring system for viewing a target area within a vaginal channel, the monitoring system comprising:

a first device sized for at least partial insertion into the vaginal channel, the first device

comprising an imager that captures imager data from the target area;

a second device, via instructions set forth in a software application, directs presentation of media that is based on the imager data captured by the imager of the first device;

a communication channel through which the imager data is delivered by the first device to the second device; and

the second device utilizes measurement information in the presentation of the media.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the first device further comprising an emitter that produces a light beam that assists in generating the measurement information.

9. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the imager of the first device assists in the generation of the measurement information.

10. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the first device further comprising a position sensitive detector that assists in the generation of the measurement information.

11. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the first device further comprising a second imager that captures second imager data from the target area.

12. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the measurement information is generated from the imager data captured from the imager and the second imager captured by the second imager.

13. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the generation of the measurement information occurs within the second device.

14. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the imager data comprises color information to be used in a colorization analysis.

15. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein comparisons of the media at various points in time are made to identify changes.

16. A method used to review conditions within a vaginal channel, the method comprising:

inserting an imager into the vaginal channel;

capturing imager data from a portion of the vaginal channel that include a target area;

retrieving measurement information relating to the target area;

using the measurement information with at least part of the imager data; and

displaying media representative of the at least part of the imager data.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying a dimension relating to the displayed media generated based on the measurement information, and the at least part of the imager data comprises the target area.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the displayed media representation is based on a three dimensional data set.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising comparing a first part of the media with a second part of the media to identify changes over time.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising presenting at least indications of the changes over time that are identified.