Medical Measuring Device

• US 20090253968A1
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ingo Flore
• Original Assignee: Ingo Flore
• Inventors: Cho, Ok Kyung, Kim, Yoon Ok
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• 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 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/444 Evaluating skin marks, e.g. mole, nevi, tumour, scar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore

Abstract

The invention relates to a measuring device (1) for the non-invasive measurement of physiological parameters. The measuring device (1) is suited to detect and localize by way of self diagnosis diseases such as, for example, inflammations, tumors or arteriosclerosis. The invention proposes a measuring device (1) with at least one optical measuring unit (100) for the generation of oximetric and/or plethysmographic measuring signals, an evaluation unit (140) processing the measuring signals, and a unit (120, 130) for the acquisition of local tissue parameters such as fat content, water content and/or blood perfusion, with the evaluation unit (140) being designed such that at least one local metabolic parameter is determined, in particular the local oxygen consumption, from the signals furnished by the optical measuring unit and obtained from tissue parameters. Moreover, the measuring device (1) enables the non-invasive determination of the blood glucose level.

Claims

1. :

Measuring device for the non-invasive determination of physiological parameters, with said device being provided with at least one optical measuring unit (100) generating oximetric and/or plethysmographic measuring signals, and with an evaluation unit (140) for processing the measuring signals,

wherein,

the evaluation unit (140) is designed such that at least one local metabolism parameter is determined, especially the local oxygen consumption, from the signals furnished by the local measuring unit (100).

2. :

Measuring device according to claim 1, comprising a unit (120, 130) for the acquisition of local tissue parameters such as fat content, water content and/or blood perfusion, with the evaluation unit (140) being designed such that the at least one local metabolic parameter is determined from the signals furnished by the optical measuring unit (100) and obtained from tissue parameters.

3. :

Measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the unit for the acquisition of local tissue parameters embraces a bioelectric impedance measuring unit (130).

4. :

Measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the bioelectric impedance measuring unit (130) is designed such that it additionally detects global tissue parameters, such as the global fat content and/or global water content.

5. :

Measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the unit for the detection of local tissue parameters embraces an optical radiation source (4) and a radiation sensor (5).

6. :

Measuring device according to claim 2, comprising a heat sensor (6) for the determination of the heat dissipated via the skin surface, with the evaluation unit (140) being designed to determine the local metabolic parameters taking the signals of the heat sensor (6) into account.

7. :

Measuring device according to claim 2, comprising an optical sensor for the spatially resolved determination of the skin complexion.

8. :

Measuring device according to claim 2, comprising an ECG unit (132) for the collection of an ECG signal via two or more ECG electrodes (7, 9), with the evaluation unit (140) being designed for the assessment of the time characteristics of the ECG signal.

9. :

Measuring device according to claim 8, wherein the evaluation unit (140) is designed for the assessment of the time characteristics of a plethysmographic signal detected by the device, and/or for the determination of the pulse wave velocity based on the time characteristics of the ECG signal and the plethysmographic signal.

10. :

Measuring device according to claim 2, comprising a storage unit (170) for the storage of the parameters determined by means of the evaluation unit (140).

11. :

Measuring device according to claim 2, comprising a diagnostic unit (150) for the assessment of the parameters determined by means of the evaluation unit (140) and recording of parameter changes, with site and time of the measurements being taken into account.

12. :

Measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic unit (150) is designed for the determination of the status of the cardiovascular system based on parameters ascertained by means of the evaluation unit (140).

13. :

Measuring device according to claim 4, wherein the diagnostic unit (150) is designed for the calculation of a global fitness index on the basis of the status of the cardiovascular system and the global tissue parameters.

14. :

Measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the optical measuring unit (100) is provided with at least one radiation source (4) for the irradiation of the body tissue (240) to be examined, and at least one radiation sensor (5) for the detection of the radiation scattered and/or transmitted by the body tissue (240).

15. :

Measuring device according to claim 14, wherein the optical measuring unit (100) is provided with at least one radiation source (4) for the irradiation of the body tissue (240) to be examined, and at least two radiation sensors (5) for the detection of the radiation scattered and/or transmitted by the body tissue (240), with the radiation sensors (5) being located at different distances to the radiation source.

16. :

Measuring device according to claim 14, wherein at least two radiation sources (4, 4′

) are provided which irradiate different volume areas of the body tissue (240) to be examined.

17. :

Measuring device according to claim 16, wherein the at least two radiation sources (4, 4′

) have different spatial radiation characteristics.

18. :

Measuring device according to claim 16, wherein the evaluation unit (140) is designed for the determination of the at least one local metabolic parameter based on the radiation of the two radiation sources (4, 4′

) scattered and/or transmitted by the body tissue (240).

19. :

Measuring device according to claim 18, wherein the evaluation unit (140) is furthermore designed for the determination of the local oxygen consumption and/or the blood glucose level based on the intensities of the radiation emitted by the two radiation sources (4, 4′

) and scattered and/or transmitted by the body tissue (240).

20. :

Measuring device according to claim 16, wherein the wavelength of the radiation emitted by each of the two radiation sources is in the range of between 600 and 700 nm, preferably between 630 and 650 nm.

21. :

Measuring device according to claim 14, wherein the radiation sources (4, 4′

) and the radiation sensors (5) are arranged on a measuring head (3).

22. :

Measuring device according to claim 21, wherein the measuring head (3) comprises electrodes (7) for the bioelectric impedance measurement.

23. :

Measuring device according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the electrodes (7) is also designed as an ECG electrode.

24. :

Measuring device according to claim 21, wherein the measuring head (3) comprises at least one heat sensor (6).

25. :

Measuring device according to claim 21, wherein the measuring head (3) is arranged at the front end of a common casing (2) which accommodates the optical measuring unit (100) and the evaluation unit (140) so that the design of the entire device (1) enables it to be hand-guided.

26. :

Measuring device according to claim 23, wherein the casing (2) is provided with an additional ECG electrode (9) located on the outer side.

27. :

Measuring device according to claim 26, wherein the additional ECG electrode (9) is also designed for bioelectrical impedance measurement purposes.

28. :

Measuring device according to claim 1, comprising an indicator unit (8) displaying the local oxygen concentration of the blood and/or the at least one local metabolic parameter.

29. :

Measuring device according to claim 1, comprising an interface (180) connecting the measuring device (1) with a computer or another device.

30. :

Measuring device according to claim 1, wherein said device is of miniature design and integrated into an object worn on a user'"'"'s body.

31. :

Method for the collection and evaluation of physiological parameters, in particular through the use of a measuring device according to claim 1, by means of which

oximetric and/or plethysmographic measuring signals from body tissue (240) are collected by means of an optical measuring unit (100),

and the oximetric and/or plethysmographic measuring signals are processed by means of an evaluation unit (140) for the purpose of determining the pulse and/or the local oxygen concentration,

wherein by means of the evaluation unit (140) at least one local metabolic parameter, in particular the local oxygen consumption, is determined on the basis of the oximetric signals.

32. :

Method according claim 31, wherein local tissue parameters such as fat content, water content and/or perfusion are collected/detected, with the at least one local metabolic parameter being determined on the basis of the oximetric signals and the local tissue parameters.

33. :

Method according to claim 32, wherein the local tissue parameters are collected/detected by means of bioelectrical impedance measurement.

34. :

Method according to claim 32, wherein the local tissue parameters are collected/detected optically.

35. :

Method according to claim 32, wherein the local tissue parameters are collected/detected by means of spatially resolved heat measurement.

36. :

Method according to claim 31, comprising a collection/detection of an ECG signal conducted in addition to the collection/detection of the oximetric measuring signals.

37. :

Method according to claim 36, wherein by means of the evaluation unit (140) a cardiovascular parameter is determined on the basis of the plethysmographic measuring signals and the ECG signal.

38. :

Method according to claim 31, comprising a collection/detection of global tissue parameters, such as fat content and/or water content.

39. :

Method according to claim 37, wherein a global fitness index is calculated on the basis of the cardiovascular parameter and the global tissue parameters.

40. :

Method according to claim 31, wherein different volume areas of the examined body tissue are irradiated by means of the optical measuring unit (100), with the at least one local metabolic parameter being determined on the basis of the radiation scattered and/or transmitted by the body tissue (240) in the different volume areas.

41. :

Method according to claim 40, wherein the optical measuring unit (100) embraces at least two radiation sources (4, 4′

) with different spatial radiation characteristics, with the local oxygen consumption and/or the blood glucose level being determined based on the intensity of the radiation of the two radiation sources (4, 4′

) scattered and/or transmitted by the body tissue (240).