Apparatus and method for the detection and quantification of joint and tissue inflammation

• US 20040019303A1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ectoscan Systems , LLC
• Original Assignee: Paul E. Thomson
• Inventors: Thomson, Paul E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,226,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/107 Measuring physical dimensions, e.g. size of the entire body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4824 Touch or pain perception evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence

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

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting and quantifying inflammation of a joint or tissue area comprising a sensing component for obtaining measurements of at least two of the cardinal signs of inflammation

2. The Apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a device for storing the measurements and a display device for displaying the measurements

3. The Apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for comparing the measurements with previous measurements of the joint or tissue area

4. The Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing unit comprises a device for detecting swelling of the joint or tissue area

5. The Apparatus of claim 4 wherein said device for detecting swelling is selected from the group comprising mechanical contact devices, video-based digitizing scanning system devices, optical scanning system devices, laser-based system devices, position tracking based system devices, glossmeter-based devices, ultrasound devices, and magnetic resonance imaging and measuring system devices

6. The Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing component comprises a range-of-motion device for determining the range of motion of the joint or tissue

7. The Apparatus of claim 6 wherein said range-of-motion device is selected from the group comprising geometric chart devices, geometric gage devices, optical grid devices, video-based digitizing scanning system devices, optical scanning system devices, laser-based system devices, position tracking based system devices ultrasound-based devices, and magnetic resonance imaging and measuring system devices.

8. The Apparatus of claim 1 where said sensing component comprises a color analyzing device for analyzing the color of the area of the joint or tissue area.

9. The Apparatus of claim 8 wherein said color analyzing device is a light-sensitive sensor device

10. The Apparatus of claim 8 wherein said color analyzing device is selected from the group comprising calorimeter devices, spectrophotometer devices, and glossmeter devices.

11. The Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing component comprises a temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of the joint or tissue area.

12. The Apparatus of claim 11 wherein said temperature measuring device is selected from the group comprising mechanical contact devices, optical devices, laser-based devices, thermistor type devices, thermocouple-type devices, thermometer devices, thermography-type devices, infrared-based devices, light sensitive devices, and surface electrical conductance-resistance based devices.

13. The Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing component comprises a pain or tenderness detection device for determining the threshold and tolerance of pain or tenderness at the joint or tissue area

14. The Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pain or tenderness detection device is selected from the group comprising dolorimeter-type pressure devices, heating devices, and electrical stimuli devices

15. The Apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for generating an image of the joint or tissue area

16. The Apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for generating a mathematical model of the joint or tissue area

17. The Apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for analyzing collected measurements and generating an overall inflammation score

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 measuring at least one of the cardinal signs of inflammation, and analyzing said collected data to determine the presence of inflammation

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of storing the measurements and displaying the measurements for analyzing the amount and location of inflammation.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of comparing the measurements with previous measurements of the joint or tissue area

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the apparatus comprises a device for detecting swelling of the joint or tissue area.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the apparatus comprises a range-of-motion device for determining the range of motion of the joint or tissue

23. The method of claim 18 where the apparatus comprises a color analyzing device for analyzing the color of the area of the joint or tissue area

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the apparatus comprises a temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of the joint or tissue area.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the apparatus comprises a pain or tenderness detection device for determining the threshold and tolerance of pain or tenderness at the joint or tissue area

26. The method of claim 18 further comprising a step of generating an image of the joint or tissue area

27. The method of claim 18 further comprising a step of generating a mathematical model of the joint or tissue area.

28. The method of claim 18 further comprising a step of analyzing the collected measurements and generating an overall inflammation score.

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 one or more of the cardinal signs of inflammation at the joint or tissue area, automatically storing the measurements in a 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