Abstract:
A method for objectively verifying the efficacy of manipulative therapy is provided. The method includes performing a first dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials test (82) on a patient (12) to establish a baseline response of the nerve latency period. A manipulative therapy technique (88) is then performed on the patient to relieve nerve root compression. A second dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials test (90) is then performed, to establish a post-manipulation nerve latency period.
Abstract:
A system for determining the disposition of a probe within the body of a patient includes a probe (20) having probe field transducers (21) and one or more reference field transducers (30, 32, 34). The reference field transducers are affixed to a rigid but repositionable frame (22) constructed to allow the transducers to be positioned in close proximity to the body. Non-ionizing fields are transmitted and detected between the probe and reference field transducers, and from the detected fields the relative disposition of the probe with respect to the reference field transducers is determined.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an apparatus for the in-vivo non-invasive measurement of a biological parameter concerning a bodily fluid of a person or animal in accordance with a calculation model, wherein the apparatus is provided with connections for at least two pairs of electrodes (2-5, 8-11) to be placed on the skin of a part of the body, a pair of input electrodes (2, 3, 8, 9) for feeding a measuring alternating current to the part of the body and a measuring pair of electrodes (4, 5, 10. 11) for measuring the voltage at the measuring pair of electrodes, comprising a current source (7, 12) providing the measuring alternating current, a transformer (31) for the transformation of the measuring voltage into a bio-impedance signal, being a measure of the bio-impedance of the part of the body, and means for the generation of signals which form a measure for further parameters, with the aid of which the parameters to be determined can be determined with the aid of the calculating model, said signals encompassing a signal forming a measure for the time derivative of the bio-impedance signal. The current source (7, 12) has a minimal radiation configuration and is suitable for generating a measuring current having a constant amplitude on at least two frequencies, a low frequency and a high frequency, in a frequency range of up to about 2000 kHz.
Abstract:
Medical apparatus comprises an electrical power source; an electrically conducting container (70); two or more electrodes (90, 100) connectable to a patient (40) under test so that the power source, the container (70) and the electrodes define an electrical circuit through the patient (40); and means for detecting the impedance of the circuit path through the patient.
Abstract:
Repeat fixation for medical procedures is accomplished using a non-invasive locator, specifically a bite plate (26). The bite plate (26) has at least three fiducial markers (38) on it. The fiducial markers (38) may be LEDs, radiopaque markers for angiography or computerized tomography (CT) imaging or magnetic resonance markers for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. By detecting the position of the markers (38), the position of features within the patient (14) (such as a brain tumor or other intracranial target to which radiation is to be applied) can be determined with great precision. Since the bite plate (26) has been molded to uniquely fit to the patient's teeth, it may be removed after an initial imaging of the patient (14). The bite plate (26) may then be re-attached one or more times to the teeth and the location of the features will be in a known position relative to the sensed markers.
Abstract:
A multi-element probe for providing an electrical connection to a tissue surface comprising: a plurality of individual conductive sensing elements (62), each having a front portion suitable for contact with the tissue surface, a plurality of conductive elements (51, 52) providing an electrical connection to the respective individual sensing elements and a partition or spacing separating the individual sensing elements such that when the individual probes contact the tissue surface they are substantially isolated from each other.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for determining accurately, both during and after insertion, the full length position of catheters (including implanted ports (64)), tubes (30) and placement guidewires (22) within biological tissue, is disclosed including a transmitter/detector unit (2) having an alternating current (AC) radiofrequency (RF) transmitter with antenna (14), and a radio signal transmitter in the form of a continuous or segmented fine wire receiving antenna (28, 32, 74) situated along the full length of the catheter, guide wire, and implanted port assemblies (22, 30, 64). The guide wire apparatus also includes a tip antenna. These antennae are connected by a removable clip (18) to a wide band RF detector circuit, situated within the transmitter/detector unit (2). The RF transmitter/detector circuit provides a voltage output that is a function of the relative spatial proximity of the transmitting antenna. This proximity is displayed visually to the operator using a sequential linear LED array (8) whose sensitivity is controlled by a gain control knob (10).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for analyzing body composition, which comprises metal plate electrodes (1, 2, 3 and 4) contacting the palms and the soles; an impedance measuring instrument (5) for measuring impedance of the body using the current voltage ratio, which includes a terminal T1 consisting of a pair of current C1 and voltage V1 terminals and a terminal T2 consisting of a pair of current C2 and voltage V2 terminals, thereby an alternating current in the magnitude of 0.1-2.0 mA between 1 KHz and 1 MHz passes between said terminals T1 and T2 and a voltage difference is measured between said terminals T1 and T2; electronic switches (6) connecting said plate electrodes to said impedance measuring terminals T1 and T2; a load cell (10) for measuring the weight; a key pad (11) for inputting the patient data such as height, age, and sex; a microprocessor (18) for calculating the body composition results using measured data; amplifier (15) and filter (16) and A/D converter (17) for interfacing said impedance meter (5) and weight measurement systems (10) to said microprocessor (18); and a display unit (12) for displaying the results.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method are provided for the reduction of bone fractures. The apparatus includes an x-ray imaging system (11) which compares the fractured bone (106) with an unfractured bone, a robot controller which controls a robot hand (102) so as to move the fractured bone (106) in response to a command from a physician, and a safeguard system to detect abnormal tension in the limbs which can sound an alarm and cease robot motion if an error is detected. The method includes the comparison of x-ray images of unfractured and fractured bones and the movement of a robot hand (102) grasping a fractured bone (106) in a direction suitable for effective bone reduction.
Abstract:
The invention is a system for non-invasive microwave tomographic spectroscopy of tissue using a plurality of microwave emitter/receivers (16) spatially oriented to the tissue, an interface medium (106) placed between the emitter/receivers (16), a control subsystem (65) operably coupled to the plurality of microwave emitter/receivers (16) for selectively controlling power to the plurality of emitter/receivers (16) for receiving microwave signals from the plurality of emitter/receivers (16) so that multiple frequency microwave radiation is emitted from a selected plurality of emitter/receivers (16) and received by a selected plurality of emitter/receivers (16) after interacting with and passing through the tissue (135), and a computational subsystem (77) operably connected to the control subsystem (65) for computing a tomographic spectroscopic image of the tissue (135) from the microwave signals received from the selected plurality of emitter/receivers (16).