ES2698155A1 - Guidance System for Panoramic Ecographic Viewing (SIG_VIP) (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

System for taking large panoramic sonographic samples on linear horizontal surfaces, both flat and irregular, which ensures the control of the probe to obtain more precise data on tissues for research and clinical purposes. This ultrasound technique will allow to measure with greater precision the distance of large soft tissues and the characteristics of color, thickness and behavior at each sampled point. The technique with this system allows the use at clinical level or for research. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Guidance System for Panoramic Ecographic Viewing (VIP SIG)

Sector of the technique

This invention is a system for performing linear panoramic ultrasound scans on large structures in different areas of the body with greater reliability. Useful both for the analysis of muscle groups in upper or lower limbs, and spine. It is based on a metallic structure that supports guides that ensure linearity in the direction of the probe as a square and square to draw perfect straight lines that do not lose the defined axis at the beginning of the exploration. The system has the necessary grips, rigging, slings and gauges to ensure the correct taking of samples.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The ecography sector has had a great boom since the beginning of the global economic crisis in 2005. The improvement of the systems and the optimization of the image in ultrasound have allowed us to propose new approaches to increase the knowledge of body tissues. This system can improve the image capture that modern ultrasound machines provide. There are multiple applications of this diagnostic tool in medicine, both at the clinical level and at the research level.

The term "sonography" in the search engine of Medline Pubmed gives us a history of the studies associated with this term, noting that the last 10 years has almost doubled the volume of references.

The history of panoramic ultrasound goes back to the researchers Ikai and Fukunaga in 1968 in Tokyo when they thought about performing a more appropriate anthropometry (1).

The years have been giving many advances that have made it possible to perfect the technique. The problem throughout this journey has been the guidance of the probe, which is why it began to manufacture rigs that guarantee the application of the same on the skin (2).

It was also the case of another author who offers us the possibility of making transversal cuts with a rig that acts as a "bevel" in order to guarantee the directionality of the sample taking (3).

Finally, it was in 2012 that we were able to see the first validation of ultrasound versus magnetic resonance with another device that guarantees sampling (4) and thus becomes a "gold standard" for daily work. However, the systems that we can see in the published evidence, although they solve certain unknowns or enable a new field of research, do not allow measurements of large muscle groups or longitudinal views. Our system will give it.

More and more research groups are including in their teams the ultrasound as a tool for the sampling and assessment of tissue changes to know the effects and evaluate the suitability, relevance and justification of the interventions for the relief or cure of the ailments of the patients.

(1) Ikai M, Fukunaga T. Calculation of muscle strength per unit cross-sectional area of human muscle by means of ultrasonic measurement. Int Z Angew Physiol.

1968; 26 (1): 26-32.

(2) Ahtiainen JP, Hoffren M, Hulmi JJ, et al. Panoramic ultrasonography is a valid method to measure changes in skeletal muscle cross-sectional area. Eur J Appl Physiol.

2010; 108 (2): 273-279.

(3) Noorkoiv M, Nosaka K, Blazevich AJ. Assessment of quadriceps muscle crosssectional area by ultrasound extended-field-of-view imaging. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010; 109 (4): 631-639.

(4) Scott JM, Martin DS, Ploutz-Snyder R, et al. Reliability and validity of panoramic ultrasound for muscle quantification. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2012; 38 (9): 1656-1661.

Explanation of the invention

It is a rectangular structure of aluminum that is suspended on a stretcher. It occupies the size of a standard stretcher (90 cm wide X 100 cm high) and fits with sargentas or jaws located at the four ends of the stretcher.

Thus the rectangular structure can be raised or lowered in height according to the anatomical area to be explored, since it has a system of fixation and ascent and descent. This system in the initial prototype is mechanical, but in the future it will be motorized. Both the jaws and the structure are milimetriated in all its extension, so that the researcher or clinician takes the data of the position that he used for the sampling of the individuals. We would also have the guides that will make it possible to position the ultrasound probe. These guides solve the problem of taking samples that panoramic ultrasound involves.

Sampling.

Sampling with SIG_VIP is comfortable, fast and safe as long as the guides are aligned with the muscular belly to be measured. The measurements can be made on the long axis (LONG AXIAL) as well as on the short axis (SORT AXIAL) since they allow orienting each of the ends to make them match the desired origin and insertion or with the anatomical references known by the user.

The guides have two jaws at each end to be able to fix the position by relying on the millimeter line that contains the structure where it rests. On the other hand the guides also contain two screws with nuts and thumbscrews to fix the width of the rail where the probe is inserted to slide, in this way we can use any probe of the market regardless of its thickness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, an assembly of drawings is included as an integral part of said description, in which the illustrative and non-limiting character has been represented. following:

Figure 1 .- Shows a general view of the device structure of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the guides of the device of the invention.

Figure 3.- Shows a front view of the jaws of the device of the invention.

Figure 4 shows a general view of the overall appearance of the device of the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The way to perform ultrasound with this system is to knock a person on a stretcher face up (supine) or upside down (prone), then installed the structure to join the probe to the guides and with plenty of ultrasound transmission gel be able to do the sampling.

In this way we can scan any region of the body after positioning the subject and adapting the system on the stretcher and subject.

The application of the invention is intended for clinical and research use. It is about being able to use a tool at the research level to be able to evaluate structures that today are only evaluated by magnetic resonance. Therefore, the validation of the technique will offer us significant cost savings in the management of health services. Also at the clinical level we can make patient evaluations easily to be able to make pathologies that can determine other types of interventions with patients.

Claims (3)

1. Metallic structure suspended on the patient to be able to direct the probe in any direction in a horizontal plane for the realization of panoramic ultrasound scans of chest or extremities in a straight line, either on irregular or flat surface. 2. Technique of ultrasound that solves the visualization of origins and insertions of soft tissue of large size (> 5cm) such as fascias, tendons, muscles ... 3. The system described presents manual grip, clamping, mobilization and measurement formulas also including the motorization and automation of each of the points detailed in the drawings.