Determination of biological conditions using impedance measurements
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for diagnosing a diseased condition of the skin using an apparatus for the diagnosing of a diseased condition of the skin of a subject comprising an electrical probe for obtaining impedance data from a tissue region and an electronic control unit, the method comprising the steps of:
- (i) placing an electrical conducting probe against a skin surface of the subject, wherein the probe comprises at least three electrodes, each electrode furnished with a number of spikes, the spikes being laterally spaced apart from each other and being of sufficient length to penetrate the stratum corneum, wherein a first electrode and a second electrode of the at least three electrodes are spaced a first distance from each other and wherein the first electrode and a third electrode of said at least three electrodes are spaced a second distance from each other;
(ii) using an electronic control unit connected to the probe topass an electrical current through the electrodes, wherein said electrical current is separately passed between the first and the second electrode and between the first and the third electrode,measure a resulting voltage between the first and the second electrode and between the first and the third electrode, anddetermine a first value of impedance based on the electrical current between the first and second electrode and the resulting voltage between the first and second electrode and a second value of impedance based on the electrical current between the first and third electrode and the resulting voltage between the first and third electrode; and
(iii) using reference data to determine whether the first and second impedance values indicate the diseased condition by comparing the first and second impedance values with the reference data.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for the diagnostics of biological conditions using impedance measurements.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A method for diagnosing a diseased condition of the skin using an apparatus for the diagnosing of a diseased condition of the skin of a subject comprising an electrical probe for obtaining impedance data from a tissue region and an electronic control unit, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(i) placing an electrical conducting probe against a skin surface of the subject, wherein the probe comprises at least three electrodes, each electrode furnished with a number of spikes, the spikes being laterally spaced apart from each other and being of sufficient length to penetrate the stratum corneum, wherein a first electrode and a second electrode of the at least three electrodes are spaced a first distance from each other and wherein the first electrode and a third electrode of said at least three electrodes are spaced a second distance from each other; (ii) using an electronic control unit connected to the probe to pass an electrical current through the electrodes, wherein said electrical current is separately passed between the first and the second electrode and between the first and the third electrode, measure a resulting voltage between the first and the second electrode and between the first and the third electrode, and determine a first value of impedance based on the electrical current between the first and second electrode and the resulting voltage between the first and second electrode and a second value of impedance based on the electrical current between the first and third electrode and the resulting voltage between the first and third electrode; and (iii) using reference data to determine whether the first and second impedance values indicate the diseased condition by comparing the first and second impedance values with the reference data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
5. The method of claimer 1, wherein the first and second distances are different from each other.
-
17. An apparatus for the diagnosing of a diseased condition of the skin of a subject, said apparatus comprising:
-
an electrically conducting probe including at least three electrodes for obtaining impedance data from a tissue region, each electrode comprising at least one spike, which spikes are laterally spaced apart from each other and having a length being sufficient to penetrate the stratum corneum, wherein a first electrode and a second electrode of the at least three electrodes are spaced a first distance from each other and wherein the first electrode and a third electrode of said at least three electrodes are spaced a second distance from each other, and an electronic control unit connected to the probe and configured to, when the probe is placed against a skin surface of the subject such that said spikes penetrate the stratum corneum, pass an electrical current through the electrodes, wherein said electrical current is separately passed between the first and the second electrode and between the first and the third electrode, measure a resulting voltage between the first and the second electrode and between the first and the third electrode, determine a first value of impedance based on the electrical current between the first and second electrode and the resulting voltage between the first and second electrode and a second value of impedance based on the electrical current between the first and third electrode and the resulting voltage between the first and third electrode, and use reference data to determine whether the impedance values indicate the diseased condition by comparing the first and second impedance values with the reference data. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
Specification