WO2009096631A1

WO2009096631A1 - Tuber diagnosis device

Info

Publication number: WO2009096631A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/001818
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gi Beum Kim; Hyung Sub Kang; Chul Un Hong; Woo Suk Chong; Mun Yong Lee; Jin Shang Kim; Min Ho Kim; Sung Jong Kim; In Shick Kim
Original assignee: Industrial Cooperation Foundation Chonbuk National University
Priority date: 2008-01-31
Filing date: 2008-04-01
Publication date: 2009-08-06

Abstract

A tuber diagnosis device is provided. The tuber diagnosis device includes A tuber diagnosis device includes a firmness detection unit formed in a manner in which a portion thereof is brought into a contact with an inner bodily structure of a patient, to apply vibration of a predetermined frequency to the inner body structure, and convert the vibration in which the frequency is changed due to the contact with the inner bodily structure, into an electric signal, and a control unit connected electrically to the firmness detection unit to compute a firmness value from the electric signal generated from the firmness detection unit, and determine a state of tuber of the inner bodily structure from which the firmness value is computed.

Description

Description TUBER DIAGNOSIS DEVICE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a tuber diagnosis device, and more particularly, to a tuber diagnosis device for detecting a tuber by measuring firmness of the swelling. Background Art

[2] Tuber is generally a rounded cystic swelling, which is usually painless when pressed.

Tuber is mainly found along aponeurosis or joint capsule, and mostly on the back of hand or wrist. Better observation is possible if a patient bends his wrist forward. If the patient bends his wrist back, tuber is unobservable. Tuber can be found on hands, ankles, and feet. In addition to tuber ischiadicum or phyma, there are also tubercle, solitary pulmonary nodules, tyroid nodules, vocal nodules, iris nodules, and inflammatory nodules of the subcutaneous tissue.

[3] While tubers on hands, ankles, or feet are easily observable, those inside the body are hardly detected by the naked eyes. Dotctors may detect tubers by palpation, but this way of diagnosis is often crude and less reliable. Tubers are categorized into solitary tuber and multiple tubers according to the number of tubers, and also into benign tubers and malignant tubers according to the pathological finding. A benign tuber (or a plurality of benign tubers) grows gradually and generally does not influence the function of the affected area. Tyroid nodules may sometimes press the surrounding area or cause symptoms such as difficulty in swallowing or breathing, but most of times, only affect a patient's appearance. However, the malignant tubers grow fast and often spread to the surrounding lymph glands, bones, lung, etc.

[4] Detecting the presence of tubers in a body structure and determining whether the tuber is benign or malignant, generally require ultrasonic wave examination, radioisotopes examination, cytological examination, or histologic examination.

[5] However, these conventional methods for examining bodily organs are complicated and expensive. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[6] The present invention has been made to overcome the above problems occurring in the prior art, and accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tuber diagnosis device for determining a presence of a tuber of an inner bodily structure more easily. Technical Solution

[7] The above objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a tuber diagnosis device, which may include a firmness detection unit formed in a manner in which a portion thereof is brought into a contact with an inner bodily structure of a patient, to apply vibration of a predetermined frequency to the inner body structure, and convert the vibration in which the frequency is changed due to the contact with the inner bodily structure, into an electric signal, and a control unit connected electrically to the firmness detection unit to compute a firmness value from the electric signal generated from the firmness detection unit, and determine a state of tuber of the inner bodily structure from which the firmness value is computed.

[8] The firmness detection unit may include a piezoelectric (PZT) actuator to generate vibration of a predetermined frequency, a titanium plate formed in a manner in which a first end is in a contact with the PZT actuator, and a second end is brought into a contact with the inner bodily structure, and a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensor adjoined with the first end of the titanium plate, to convert the changed vibration transmitted from the titanium plate into an electric signal.

[9] The tuber diagnosis device may further include a display electrically connected to the control unit to indicate the firmness value obtained at the control unit, and the presence of tuber based on the firmness value. Advantageous Effects

[10] Accordingly, the present invention provides advantages of easier and simpler tuber diagnosis process, which can be completed by applying vibration to a bodily structure of a patient which is in contact, and computing firmness based on a change of vibration.

[11] [Brief description of the drawings]

[12] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a tuber diagnosis device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[13] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a tuber diagnosis device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

[14] A tuber diagnosis device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[15] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the tuber diagnosis device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a firmness detection unit 110, a control unit 120, and a display 130.

[16] The firmness detection unit 110 generates a vibration of a predetermined frequency, and detects a vibration of changed frequency in a response signal which is received after the generated vibration is contacted with an inner bodily structure of a patient. The firmness detection unit 110 includes a piezoelectric (PZT) actuator 101, a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensor 103, and a titanium plate 105.

[17] The PZT actuator 101 is made using PZT ceramics, and uses displacement characteristics of a piezoelectric material which is induced by the electric field.

[18] The PVDF sensor 103 is also based on the piezoelectric effect of the polyvinylidene fluoride, which is one of piezoelectric films. The PVDF sensor 103 is widely used, since it is thin, flexible, and generates relatively large voltage even in response to a small change.

[19] According to an aspect of the present invention, the PZT actuator 101 and the PVDF sensor 103 are adjoined with the outer circumference of a portion of the titanium plate 105.

[20] One end of the titanium plate 105, along with the PZT actuator 101 and the PVDF sensor 103, is formed inside a main body 12, and the opposite end of the titanium plate 105 is exposed out of the main body 12. Except a free end 105a, the titanium plate 105 is placed within a cover member 17 which is integrally formed with the main body 12. The PZT actuator 101 and the PVDF sensor 103 are connected by electrical wires 20 to a pair of terminals 19 which are formed on a rear portion of the main body 12.

[21] According to the embodiment of the present invention, a button 18 is provided and exposed outside the main body 12. The button 18 is electrically connected to the electrical wires 20 to switch on or off the PZT actuator 101 and the PVDF sensor 103.

[22] The control unit 120 is electrically connected to the terminals 19 provided on a rear portion of the main body 12 by a cable 30. When the PZT actuator 101 applies vibration to the titanium plate 105, the frequency of the vibration changes due to the inner bodily structure in contact with the free end 105 a of the titanium plate 105, and the PVDF sensor 103 sends an electric response signal corresopnding to the vibration of the changed frequency to the control unit 120 so that the control unit 120 determines the characteristic of the vibration at the inner bodily structure in contact and computes a firmness value based on the determined characteristic of the vibration. Additionally, based on the computed firmness value, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the inner bodily structure in contact with the free end 105a of the titanium plate 105 is tuber. For example, the control unit 120 may determine the structure in contact to be a tuber, if the computed firmness value exceeds a predetermined reference, and determine the structure not to be a tuber, if the computed firmness value does not exceed the predetermined reference. Additionally, if the structure in contact is determined to be a tuber, the control unit 120 may compute a thickness of the tuber based on a comparison with preset firmness value data.

[23] The display 130 indicates the firmness value obtained from the control unit 120, and also shows the result of determining the presence of tuber according to the firmness value of the control unit 120. To do this, the display 130 is electrically connected to the control unit 120. Desirably, the display 130 may also indicate a thickness value of the tuber, if the structure in contact is determined to be a tuber.

[24] The operation of the tuber diagnosis device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[25] First, in order to determine the presence of tuber in an inner bodily structure of a patient with the tuber diagnosis device 100, a portion of the firmness detection unit 110 is inserted into the patient's body so that the free end 105a of the titanium plate 105 is brought into contact with the intended bodily structure of the patient. Next, the inspector presses the button 18 to operate the PZT actuator 101 and the PVDF sensor 103, and accordingly, the PZT actuator 101 generates vibration of a predetermined frequency and applies the generated vibration to the titanium plate 105. Since the free end 105 a of the titanium plate 105 is in contact with the intended inner bodily structure, the frequency of the vibration generated at the PZT actuator 101 is changed, and the vibration with the changed frequency is converted into an electric response signal by the PVDF sensor 103. As shown in FIG. 1, only the free end 105a of the titanium plate 105 is in contact with the bodily structure, and the rest of the titanium plate 105 is blocked by the cover member 17 from a contact with the bodily structure. Since only the free end 105a is contacted with the bodily structure, a response signal received from the PVDF sensor 103 has improved reliability.

[26] After that, the converted electric signal is transmitted to the control unit 120 through the electric wires 20 and the cable 30. Accordingly, the control unit 120 obtains the characteristics of vibration from the received electric signal and computes a firmness value based thereon, so that if the computed firmness value exceeds a predetermined value, which means that the structure in contact has a greater firmness value than that of a normal structure, the control unit 120 determines the bodily structure in contact to be a tuber. If the specimen is determined to be tuber, the control unit 120 may additionally determine the thickness of the structre in contact by comparing the obtained firmness value with the data about the tuber thickness and corresponding firmness values.

[27] After that, the control unit 120 transfers the display 130 the determined firmness value, presence or absence of tuber based on the firmness value, and thickness of the tuber (if the specimen is determined to be tuber) so that the inspector can notice the information through the display 130 and confirm diagnosis.

[28] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain embodiments to carry out this invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Industrial Applicability

[29] The present invention relates to a tuber diagnosis device, and more particularly, to a tuber diagnosis device for determining presence of tuber by measuring firmness of an inner bodily structure of a patient.

Claims

[1] A tuber diagnosis device, comprising: a firmness detection unit formed in a manner in which a portion thereof is brought into a contact with an inner bodily structure of a patient, to apply vibration of a predetermined frequency to the inner body structure, and convert the vibration in which the frequency is changed due to the contact with the inner bodily structure, into an electric signal; and a control unit connected electrically to the firmness detection unit to compute a firmness value from the electric signal generated from the firmness detection unit, and determine a state of tuber of the inner bodily structure from which the firmness value is computed.

[2] The tuber diagnosis device of claim 1, wherein the firmness detection unit comprises: a piezoelectric (PZT) actuator to generate vibration of a predetermined frequency; a titanium plate formed in a manner in which a first end is in a contact with the PZT actuator, and a second end is brought into a contact with the inner bodily structure; and a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensor adjoined with the first end of the titanium plate, to convert the changed vibration transmitted from the titanium plate into an electric signal.

[3] The tuber diagnosis device of claim 1, further comprising a display electrically connected to the control unit to indicate the firmness value obtained at the control unit, and the presence of tuber based on the firmness value.