Prostate glove with measurement grid

• US 9,402,564 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2012
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MedicaMetrix LLC
• Original Assignee: MedicaMetrix, Inc.
• Inventors: LaFarge, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Eiseman, Adam J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warsi, Yasmeen S
• Application Number:
  US13/663,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20140121562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/107 Measuring physical dimensions, e.g. size of the entire body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4381 Prostate evaluation or disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6806 Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided herein that generally involve measuring a prostate or other object. In some embodiments, a membrane can be sealed over a digit extension to form a closed volume. The closed volume can be inflated via an inflation tube, and a reference pattern can be disposed within the closed volume along with a measurement assembly. In use, a user can put on the glove, position the membrane in proximity to a rectal wall overlying a prostate, and inflate the membrane. As the user slides their finger across the rectal wall, optical fibers in the measurement assembly can move relative to a reference pattern, and a controller can sense light reflected through the fibers from the reference pattern. The controller can calculate or estimate various attributes of the prostate based on the reflected light, such as the palpable surface width or volume.

Claims

1. An examination device, comprising:

an inflatable membrane defining an enclosed volume, the membrane being configured to surround only a single finger of a user;

a substrate separate from the membrane and disposed within the enclosed volume defined by the membrane and having a plurality of reference lines formed on the substrate and arranged along a measurement path, the substrate being configured such that, as the inflatable membrane is stretched, a spacing between the plurality of reference lines along the measurement path remains constant, wherein the substrate does not stretch when the inflatable membrane is stretched; and

a glove having a digit extension to which one or more optical fibers are mounted, the digit extension being disposed within the inflatable membrane and the digit extension being movable relative to the membrane and relative to the substrate.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the reference lines are printed on the substrate.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises polyethylene.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is attached to the membrane only along a central axis of the substrate.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the central axis extends perpendicular to the measurement path.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is attached to the membrane only at a center point of the substrate.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is attached to the membrane using at least one of an adhesive and a weld.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a thickness between about 0.5 mils and about 6.0 mils.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a thickness of about 2 mils.

10. An examination device, comprising:

a glove having a plurality of digit extensions;

an inflatable membrane disposed over only one of the plurality of digit extensions and defining an enclosed volume between the membrane and said digit extension;

a substrate separate from the membrane and disposed within the enclosed volume and having a plurality of reference lines formed on the substrate and arranged along a measurement path; and

one or more optical fibers mounted to said digit extension,

wherein the membrane has at least a first deflated configuration and a second inflated configuration, the membrane in the inflated configuration being stretched as compared with the membrane in the deflated configuration, and wherein a spacing between the plurality of reference lines along the measurement path is the same in both the inflated and deflated configurations, and wherein the substrate is non-inflatable,

wherein said digit extension is movable within the inflatable membrane and relative to the substrate.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the substrate is attached to the membrane only along a central axis of the substrate.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the central axis extends perpendicular to the measurement path.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the substrate is attached to the membrane only at a center point of the substrate.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the substrate is attached to the membrane using at least one of an adhesive and a weld.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the substrate has a thickness between about 0.5 mils and about 6.0 mils.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the substrate has a thickness of about 2 mils.