Apparatus and method for the detection and quantification of joint and tissue inflammation
First Claim
1. An apparatus for detecting and quantifying inflammation of a joint or tissue area comprising a sensing component;
- wherein said sensing component includes means for directly obtaining measurements of at least two of the cardinal signs of inflammation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The apparatus and method for the detection and quantification of joint and tissue inflammation (100) of the present invention comprises a sensing component (102) for obtaining and collecting data indicative of the surface or dimensions of the joint or tissue. The sensing component (102) comprises various components for obtaining measurements of the cardinal signs of inflammation. Preferably the sensing component (102) includes a device for detecting swelling (104), a color analyzing device (108), a temperature measuring device (110), a pain or tenderness detection device (112), an archival and retrieval device (114), and a display device (116). In operation a patient is placed in position for examination of the joint or tissue area measurements are taken of one or more of the cardinal signs of inflammation at the joint or tissue area, the measurements are automatically stored in a archival storage and retrieval device (114), and from the measurements an inflammation score is derived which can be compared against a baseline.
58 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An apparatus for detecting and quantifying inflammation of a joint or tissue area comprising a sensing component;
- wherein said sensing component includes means for directly obtaining measurements of at least two of the cardinal signs of inflammation.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- 18. A non-human observer based method of detecting and quantifying inflammation at a joint or tissue area comprising the steps of using an apparatus to obtain and collect data, the apparatus being capable of directly measuring at least two of the cardinal signs of inflammation, and analyzing said collected data to determine the presence of inflammation.
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29. A method for detecting and quantifying inflammation of a joint or tissue area comprising the steps of placing a patient in position for examination of the joint or tissue area;
- measuring two or more of the cardinal signs of inflammation at the joint or tissue area;
automatically storing the measurements in an archival storage and retrieval device;
deriving an inflammation score or quantity from the measurements and automatically comparing this inflammation score or the measurements against a baseline.
- measuring two or more of the cardinal signs of inflammation at the joint or tissue area;
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30. An apparatus for detecting and quantifying inflammation of a joint or tissue area comprising means for directly measuring the true physical measurements of the joint or tissue area, said measurements effective for detecting at least two of the cardinal signs of inflammation;
- and means for storing, retrieving, correlating and analyzing the data obtained.
- View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. An apparatus for detecting and quantifying inflammation of a joint or tissue area comprising a sensing component having at least two different systems each system obtaining measurements of at least one of the cardinal signs of inflammation, wherein each system obtains measurements of a different cardinal sign of inflammation.
Specification