Breast temperature scanner
First Claim
1. A temperature sensing scanner for breast temperatures, comprising:
- a flexible substrate support capable of being conformed to and applied to the breast surface;
a plurality of thermistors supported on the support in an array disposed over the support so that the thermistors are spaced apart from each other so that the temperature of a localized area is sensed by an individual thermistor;
an array of conductors directly on the support at least where the thermistors are supported, at least two of the conductors connected to each of the thermistors, the conductors extending from the respective thermistors toward a connection area, the conductors being connectable with a circuit for determining at least one of the voltage and the resistance of the thermistor which is dependent upon the temperature thereof,each of the thermistors is a small block of a ceramic thermistor material having a conductor facing surface;
at least a first and a second contact on the conductor facing surface and the contacts being spaced apart from each other and being respectively connectable to the respective ones of the conductors for the thermistor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement and a method for scanning the human breast for localized areas of elevated temperature and which areas do not cool as rapidly as other areas. An array of closely spaced apart, small mass thermistors is supported on several, circle segment, flexible substrate support panels that are adhered to the skin for producing concentric circular closely spaced arrays of thermistors, each connected to a pair of conductors on the panels. The conductors are connected through a connector to a circuit which measures the voltage and/or resistance of each of the thermistors, which is dependent upon its temperature. The voltage and/or resistance and thereby the temperature of each thermistor is measured at several second intervals. A test subject is iced for causing vasoconstriction, and the rate of temperature change in each of the thermistors is noted, to note which localized area of the breast does not cool as rapidly as other areas, or to show other cooling profiles.
71 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A temperature sensing scanner for breast temperatures, comprising:
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a flexible substrate support capable of being conformed to and applied to the breast surface; a plurality of thermistors supported on the support in an array disposed over the support so that the thermistors are spaced apart from each other so that the temperature of a localized area is sensed by an individual thermistor; an array of conductors directly on the support at least where the thermistors are supported, at least two of the conductors connected to each of the thermistors, the conductors extending from the respective thermistors toward a connection area, the conductors being connectable with a circuit for determining at least one of the voltage and the resistance of the thermistor which is dependent upon the temperature thereof, each of the thermistors is a small block of a ceramic thermistor material having a conductor facing surface;
at least a first and a second contact on the conductor facing surface and the contacts being spaced apart from each other and being respectively connectable to the respective ones of the conductors for the thermistor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for screening for temperature abnormalities in localized areas of the human breast, comprising:
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applying an array of relatively closely spaced apart thermistors to the skin surface of the breast, spaced close together to sense the localized surface temperature of the breast over a relatively small area; connecting each of the thermistors to an electric circuit capable of measuring at least one of the voltage and resistance of the thermistor, which is dependent upon the then current temperature of the thermistor; during a measurement process, altering the rate of blood flow through the blood vessels of the breast for affecting measurable localized temperatures which are sensed by the thermistors, and permitting the thermistors sufficient time to change temperatures according to the change in temperature of the localized area of the breast surface to which each thermistor is applied; and measuring at least one of the voltage and resistance of each of the thermistors at spaced apart time intervals noting the differentials in the change in temperature at localized areas; and converting the voltage and resistance measurements into temperature measurements made by each of the thermistors. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification