JP3609445B2 - Diagnostic device for osteoporosis by ultrasound - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an apparatus for diagnosing osteoporosis using ultrasound.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Along with the increase in the elderly population, the rapid increase in the number of people who suffer from a disease called osteoporosis, which is easy to break in normal daily life, has become a major problem in the medical field. Osteoporosis is a disease in which components such as calcium in the bone are reduced and bone mass is reduced, and cracks and breakage due to reduced strength are likely to occur. About 30% of women over 60 years old and about 10% of men Is said to be applicable.
[0003]
If osteoporosis is detected at an early stage, the progression of osteoporosis can be effectively prevented by various treatments. Therefore, early detection by periodic medical examination is important. For this reason, the progress of osteoporosis has been predicted and diagnosed by measuring bone mineral content (BMC) by X-ray radiation or X-ray radiation.
[0004]
However, radiation is very harmful to the living body, and about from 50-year-old more than 60-year-old person who is expected to have a high risk of osteoporosis, such as for women of postmenopausal, assume the risk of radiation It was a diagnosis. Therefore, an apparatus for diagnosing osteoporosis using ultrasonic waves that are harmless to the human body has been proposed. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-237101, the heads of a pair of ultrasonic transducer assemblies are provided with a storage bag filled with liquid, and the transducer assemblies are provided on both sides of the ribs of the patient's foot. It has been proposed that the air is completely removed from the contact surface of the foot. However, in this apparatus, the storage bag filled with the liquid is fixed to the transducer assembly, and the same bag is used even if the patient (subject) changes.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In recent years, however, the problem of hospital infection caused by resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged. MRSA causing this infection is an attenuated bacterium, so there is little harm to healthy people, but it is highly affected and tends to develop in elderly people and those with reduced physical strength during hospitalization. In general, since there are many elderly people with osteoporosis, this hospital infection is a problem that cannot be ignored. For this reason, if the storage bag is fixed to the head of a conventional ultrasonic transducer, when the patient (subject) is replaced, even if the surface of the storage bag and the measurement location of the subject are disinfected with alcohol, There was a risk of nosocomial infections due to MRSA. Therefore, in the present invention, when measuring ultrasonic waves, the storage bag, which is a part that directly contacts the patient (subject), is discarded for each patient (subject) and is always replaced with a new one. The aim is to provide a diagnostic device for osteoporosis that avoids the possibility of nosocomial infections as much as possible.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A footrest on which a subject's foot is placed, a pair of ultrasonic transmitter / receiver having a transmitting probe and a receiving probe attached to a base on which the foot is fixed, and the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver Osteoporosis due to ultrasound comprising a means for fixing one probe and moving the other probe so that the probe is placed on the base and in close contact from the side. In a diagnostic device, a retractable storage bag filled with water, a mixed solution, or the like, and a frame (cassette) are fixed to the storage bag so as to have a protruding portion in the lateral direction, and the handle is moved vertically. Thus, a slide block that moves in the horizontal direction by a link lever mechanism and a button chip mechanism disposed on the slide block are provided, and the frame (cassette) is inserted into the frame (cassette) via the button chip mechanism. Pulled out or pushed in And a frame (cassette) on the outer circumferential surface of the probe so that the side surface opposite to the protruding portion of the storage bag is in close contact with the head of the ultrasonic probe. It is attached so as to be detachable, and is constructed so that it can be detached from the slide block together with the frame (cassette) to which the storage bag is fixed via the button chip mechanism by pulling out or pushing in with the collar.
[0007]
[Action]
For each patient (subject), the frame (cassette) with the storage bag fixed via the button chip mechanism is removable from the slide block, so the frame (cassette) to which the storage bag is secured is replaced. Because we always use new ones, we can avoid the possibility of nosocomial infection problems.
[0008]
【Example】
An example of an apparatus for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a footrest 1 is bent in a substantially right angle direction, and supports a surface 1a for supporting a sole and a leg portion. It consists of a surface 1 b and is fixed to the base 2. Ultrasonic probe 3a is attached to the block 3A having a hollow portion which is fixed to the side of the base 2, while the other of the ultrasonic probe 3b is loose in the groove 2a provided on the base 2 It is attached to the hollow portion of the worn slide block 3B, and is attached so as to be movable in the lateral direction together with the slide block 3B between the grooves 2a by the operation of the handle 4. That is, in FIG. 5, when the handle 4 is moved in the vertical direction, the link lever mechanism 5 causes the lever 7 to turn left and right about the shaft 6 as a fulcrum, so that the slide block 3B to which the ultrasonic probe 3b is fixed. Moves horizontally (laterally).
[0009]
In FIG. 3, the film-like storage bag 10 made of synthetic resin is filled with water or gel-like liquid, and is a thin cylindrical frame body (cassette) in a state of protruding in a spherical shape in the lateral direction. 11 is fixed to the inner surface of the hollow portion via a circular washer 12. The frame body (cassette) 11 includes a storage bag 10 having a spherical projecting portion and the ultrasonic probe so that the opposite side surface is in close contact with the heads of the ultrasonic probes 3a and 3b . Screwed onto the outer peripheral surface.
[0010]
In FIG. 4, a frame (cassette) 13 to which a spherical storage bag 10 is fixed is detachably attached by being pushed into the hollow portion inner peripheral surface of the block 3A. That is, the outer peripheral surface of the frame (cassette) 13, since it is secured by a button tip mechanism 14, or pull with the flange portion 13a of the frame (cassette) 13, than to or push, one touch The cassette 13 to which the storage bag is fixed is removable.
[0011]
Now, in order to diagnose osteoporosis, when transmitting and measuring ultrasound, first, as shown in FIG. 2, when the patient's (subject) foot is placed on the footrest 1, The buttocks hit the side surface of the ultrasonic probe 3a. Next, when the ultrasound probe 3b is moved in the lateral direction by operating the handle 4, it hits the other side surface of the buttocks, and just enters the state of sandwiching the buttocks. In this state, measurement is performed by transmitting an ultrasonic wave. When the measurement is finished, the ultrasonic probe 3b is moved away from the buttock by operating the handle 4 and pulled away.
[0012]
Here, before a new patient (subject) places a foot on the footrest 1 for measurement, a frame (cassette) 11 having a storage bag 10 having a spherical projection or a frame The body (cassette) 13 is removed from the slide block 3B and the block 3A, and replaced with a frame body (cassette) 11 and a frame body (cassette) 13 to which a new storage bag 10 is fixed. That is, in the case of the frame (cassette) 11 of FIG. 3, the screwing of the outer peripheral surfaces of the ultrasonic probes 3a and 3b is released and replaced. On the other hand, in the case of FIG. 4, the frame (cassette) 13 is pulled out from the hollow part of the block 3A or the slide block 3B with the flange part 13a. Since the outer peripheral surface of the frame (cassette) 13 is stopped by the button chip mechanism 14, it can be replaced with one touch.
[0013]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention is detachable from the slide block together with the frame (cassette) to which the storage bag is fixed via the button chip mechanism as described above, the frame (cassette) to which the storage bag is fixed is attached to the patient ( Since each patient is always replaced with a new one, patients with more elderly people (subjects) can avoid the possibility of nosocomial infections due to MRSA compared to conventional devices. It has the effect of being able to diagnose osteoporosis.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an essential part showing an example of an apparatus for carrying out the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state when measuring with ultrasonic waves;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a principal part when a frame (cassette) to which a storage bag is fixed is attached to the head of an ultrasonic probe.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of another example of a frame (cassette) to which a storage bag is fixed.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a moving device for an ultrasonic probe equipped with a frame (cassette).
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Foot 2 Base 3a, 3b Ultrasonic probe 10 Storage bag
11 frame (cassette)
13 Frame (cassette)
13a buttock
14 Button tip mechanism

Claims (1)

A footrest on which a subject's foot is placed, a pair of ultrasonic transmitter / receiver having a transmitting probe and a receiving probe attached to a base on which the foot is fixed, and the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver Osteoporosis due to ultrasound comprising a means for fixing one probe and moving the other probe so that the probe is placed on the base and in close contact from the side. In a diagnostic device, a retractable storage bag filled with water, a mixed solution, or the like, and a frame (cassette) are fixed to the storage bag so as to have a protruding portion in the lateral direction, and the handle is moved vertically. Thus, a slide block that moves in the horizontal direction by a link lever mechanism and a button chip mechanism disposed on the slide block are provided, and the frame (cassette) is inserted into the frame (cassette) via the button chip mechanism. Pulled out or pushed in And a frame (cassette) on the outer circumferential surface of the probe so that the side surface opposite to the protruding portion of the storage bag is in close contact with the head of the ultrasonic probe. It is detachably attached, and it can be removed from the slide block together with the frame (cassette) with the storage bag fixed via the button tip mechanism by pulling out or pushing in with the collar. Osteoporosis diagnostic device.

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