JP5158782B2 - Probe holder for near-infrared spectroscopy brain function measurement - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a near-infrared spectral brain function measuring device (biological oxygen monitor) used in a medical examination in the field of brain science, and to a probe holder for fixing a probe of the device.

  The brain function measurement method using near infrared spectrophotometry (NIRS) is a non-invasive estimation of each concentration in brain tissue based on the difference in near-infrared absorption spectra of oxygen-bound and oxygen-desorbed hemoglobin. It is a technique to do. In the brain function measurement method using near infrared spectrophotometry (NIRS), an irradiation probe and a light receiving probe are used, light is irradiated into the brain tissue by the irradiation probe, and light reflected and scattered by the light receiving probe is received.

  The conventional near-infrared spectroscopic brain function measurement probe holder consists of a socket part for fixing the irradiation probe and the light receiving probe, and a resin etc. for arranging the socket part in a plane at regular intervals (usually about 30 mm). It consists of a base surface (Fig. 1A). In the conventional method, as shown in FIG. 1A, the sockets are connected by a connector only between the bottom surfaces of the sockets. In this case, when the brain function measuring device is mounted on the head, a repulsive force (an arrow in FIG. 1A) that tries to push back the bending of the connector that connects the sockets is always generated. Was unstable. In order to bend the base surface along the heads with various shapes and sizes, the base surface must be 1) composed of one or more plates of sufficiently flexible material, 2) Do you have a structure in which the base surface is replaced with arms that connect each socket in a lattice shape, and by distorting the connection angle, make a curved surface while keeping the distance between irradiation and light receiving position constant? 1 to 3)).

  In the method 1), since the base, which is originally a flat surface, is bent along the curved surface of the head, distortion occurs somewhere in the base. The location and extent of this distortion varies every time, reflecting subtle differences in the tightening of the belt used for fixing, etc., so even if the probe is placed with sufficient accuracy at the position on the head, the reproducibility of the measurement Has become one of the reasons for not being able to get enough. Further, the degree of the gap between the head and the holder caused by such distortion becomes unstable due to body movement during measurement as the base material becomes more flexible, which has been a factor of reducing measurement stability.

  The above method 2) is expected to have a certain effect on the problem of instability. However, since the curved surface is formed by changing the angle of the connecting portion of the lattice structure, the irradiation-light-receiving portion depends on the curved surface shape. There was a disadvantage that the distribution arrangement of distorted. For this reason, even when re-installed on the same head, there is a problem that a subtle difference in molding each time directly affects the reproducibility of the distribution arrangement of the irradiation / light-receiving portions.

JP 2004-313741 A JP 2006-223503 A JP 2007-111407 A

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly rigid probe holder that can be fitted to a convex curved surface of a head having various shapes to hold the probe vertically and to keep the distribution of the probes constant.

  The present inventors have solved the problems of the conventional near-infrared spectral brain function measurement probe, and the probe holder is distorted when the near-infrared spectral brain function measurement probe is attached to a living body. The probe holder that does not change its position has been studied earnestly.

  The present inventors have introduced two connectors having appropriate flexibility and elasticity consisting of two upper and lower layers into a pair of adjacent sockets or probes. That is, a connector having a variable length was newly introduced above the probe socket with respect to the conventional probe socket (upper part of FIG. 1B). When the brain function measuring device is attached to the head, the forces of the upper and lower connectors antagonize, so that the phase can be autonomously held stably (bottom of FIG. 1B). The lower connector attached to the lower part of the socket has a fixed length that keeps the distance between the sockets determined by the measurement mode constant, and the upper connector placed above the lower connector connects the distance between the sockets to the lower connector. It has a variable length that can be variably adjusted to a length that is equivalent to or somewhat longer than that, and has a structure that can lock the connection so as to be fixed at that length.

  When the probe is fixed to the probe holder of the present invention and mounted on the head, the head is first brought into close contact with the curved surface of the bent lower connector in a state where the lock of the upper connector is released. Next, the upper connector is locked while maintaining this state. As a result, the probe axis with respect to the contact surface with the head becomes vertical, and a structure that maintains that state with high rigidity is secured. By connecting all of the plurality of probe sockets with such a two-layer connector, and maintaining a constant connection angle between the two lower connectors with the socket as an axis, convex curved surfaces of the head having various shapes It is possible to realize a highly rigid probe holder that can keep the probe in close contact with each other and keep the probe distribution constant.

That is, the present invention is as follows.
[1] At least two sockets for holding an irradiation probe and a light receiving probe for photobiological measurement, which are attached along the surface of the subject , and an upper connector and a lower connector for connecting the upper and lower portions of the socket , respectively. an optical biometric probe holder is provided with a coupling element of the two layers of the lower coupling element are each of a lower portion of the socket, fixedly mounted so that the distance between the socket bottom is not changed, the upper coupling element is in an upper portion of each of the said socket, said socket after adjusting the distance between the upper, light biometric probe holder, characterized in that it has a mechanism capable of fixing to length.
[2] After adjusting the fixing position of the upper portion of the upper coupling element and the socket, by fixing the upper coupling element at the top of the socket, the probe consists of consolidated of the socket and the two layers the degree of bending of the holder, characterized in that said the subject is changed so as to conform to the curved surface of the can retain, optical biometric probe holder [1].
[3] Among the illumination probe and said receiving probe is held in the socket, the protruding part from the socket at the top, wherein the upper coupling element is attached, the [1] or [2] Probe holder for photobiological measurement.
[4] The lower coupling element has a hole at both ends, by a portion of the socket is fitted in the hole, and wherein the lower coupling element is fixedly attached to the bottom of the socket The probe holder for photobiological measurement according to any one of [1] to [3].
[5] The upper connector and / or the socket is provided with a mechanism capable of changing the length of the upper connector that connects the two sockets of the upper connector and fixing the upper connector to a certain length [1]. The probe holder for optical living bodies in any one of-[4].
[6] After adjusting the connection position of the upper portion of the upper coupling element and said socket mechanism capable of fixing the both, the upper coupling element, characterized in that provided on at least one of said socket, [5] Probe holder for photobiological measurement.
[7] After adjusting the connection position of the upper portion of the upper coupling element and the socket, the mechanism may be fixed, it consists of two elongated plate-like member having a long hole, the long the two long plate members together through holes are connected by a slidable state, after adjusting the connection position, characterized by fixing one end of the two long plate member to the socket, optical biometric probe holder [5] .
[8] The upper coupling element and lower coupling element is rotatably mounted an axis of the socket, characterized in that can regulate the angle between the coupling element, one of [1] to [7] Probe holder.
[9], characterized in that it has a cloth-like material between the lower coupling element and the socket, [1] either Kano probe holder to [8].
[10] an optical biometric near infrared spectroscopic measurement of brain functions, wherein a surface of the subject is the head surface, [1] either the probe holder to [9].

  One of the important technical requirements for establishing near-infrared spectroscopic brain function measurement is how the probe can be tightly fixed to the head under given geometric conditions. Compared with the prior art, the present invention has a novel and effective mechanism for vertically introducing a plurality of probes in a fixed arrangement in variously shaped heads and maintaining them stably. It can be expected to make an important contribution to improving the stability and reproducibility of near-infrared spectroscopy brain function measurement methods.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
An example of an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the probe holder of the present invention is configured to include two layers of upper and lower connectors, a probe socket 1, an upper connector 2 and a lower connector 3. Further, a cloth-like material 4 that holds a plurality of probe sockets stably, fixes the probe sockets so as to fit the living body surface, and blocks external light may be included. The probe 5 which is a light irradiation probe or a light receiving probe is held in a state of being inserted into a probe socket. For example, the probe is inserted into the probe socket by screwing the probe into the socket.

  FIG. 3A illustrates the probe socket 1 and FIG. 3B illustrates the lower connector 3. Moreover, various aspects of the upper connector 2 are illustrated in FIGS. 3C to 3E.

  A probe socket 1 shown in FIG. 3A has a cylindrical socket body 6 having a hole for inserting a probe, a nut 7 for attaching the lower connector to the lower part of the socket, and an attachment part for attaching the upper connector to the upper part of the socket. 8 is composed. The attachment part 8 is a nut, for example. A screw is provided at the bottom of the socket body 6, and the screw and nut 7 are screwed together. The upper and lower portions of the socket are used to indicate a vertical relationship between two points on the socket, and the upper portion of the socket is located above the lower portion of the socket. Further, an upper connector may be attached to a portion protruding upward from the socket of the probe inserted into the socket, and in this case, the portion protruding above the socket of the probe is referred to as the upper portion of the socket. Preferably, the lower part of the socket refers to a lower part from the center of the socket or a bottom part of the socket body. The maximum diameter of the socket body is not limited, but is approximately 15 to 25 mm. The maximum diameter of the probe is not limited, but is approximately 8 to 12 mm.

FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of the probe holder of the present invention, and FIG. 5 shows another embodiment.
The upper connector and the lower connector are long plate-like members and have elasticity and are flexible in the thickness direction, but themselves do not have elasticity. The upper connector and the lower connector are made of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, or polyacetal. The length of the upper connector and the lower connector is about 3 to 5 cm, the thickness is 0.05 mm to several mm, and the width is about 1 to 2 cm in a wide portion.

The lower connector is attached to the lower portion of the socket so that the length (connection length) of the lower connector connecting the sockets is fixed to a fixed length. That is, the lower connector that connects the sockets has a fixed length that keeps the distance between the sockets constant. The attachment of the lower connector and the socket is achieved by a fixing mechanism. The fixing mechanism is, for example, a hole provided in the screw and nut of the socket body and the lower connector. In this case, holes for fixing to the socket are provided at both ends of the lower connector, and the lower connector is fixed to the socket by fitting the socket in the hole and clamping the lower connector with a nut. Is done. At this time, when the lower connector is fixed to the socket by increasing the diameter of the hole of the lower connector equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the portion inserted into the hole of the lower connector of the socket, The length of the lower connector that connects the two remains fixed. Further, the lower connector can be rotated around the socket in a state where the lower connector is not tightened and fixed to the socket, and cannot be rotated in a state where the lower connector is tightened and fixed to the socket. When a plurality of sockets and connectors are used in combination, the connection angle between the lower connectors with the socket as an axis can be adjusted and held at an arbitrary angle in a rotatable state. The distance between the centers of the holes at both ends of the lower connector is the distance between the sockets, and is about 3 cm.

  The probe holder of the present invention has a mechanism capable of changing the length of the upper connector for connecting the two sockets and fixing the upper connector to a fixed length. The mechanism is provided in a socket and / or an upper connector constituting the probe holder. The mechanism can lock the length of the upper connector between the two sockets to maintain a constant state, and change the length of the upper connector between the two sockets in the unlocked open state. be able to.

  When the upper connector is provided with a mechanism that can change the length of the upper connector that connects the two sockets and can be fixed to a certain length, the upper connector is connected between the sockets at the upper part of the socket. It is attached so that the length (connection length) of the upper connector to be connected can be changed, and the length of the upper connector to be connected between the sockets can be fixed to a certain length. That is, the upper connector for connecting the sockets has a variable length so that the distance between the sockets can be changed.

  For example, it is only necessary to have a mechanism that can change the length of the upper connector that connects the two sockets and fix the socket to a certain length. For example, in FIG. 3A, the mounting portion 8 at the top of the socket 1 is a nut, and the nut is screwed onto a screw provided at the top of the socket 1. In this case, a mechanism capable of changing the length of the upper connector 2 connecting the two sockets and fixing the upper connector 2 to a fixed length is provided at both ends of the upper connector 2 as shown in FIGS. 3C to 3E. The upper connector can be attached to the socket by attaching the socket to the hole and sandwiching the upper connector 2 therebetween. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3C, by making the diameter of the hole of the upper connector 2 larger than the diameter of the portion inserted into the hole of the upper connector of the mounting portion of the socket, the upper connector 2 is connected to the socket 1. When attached, it can be slid to change the length of the upper connector between the sockets.

  Further, a mechanism capable of changing the length of the upper connector connecting between the two sockets and fixing the upper connector to a fixed length is provided at both ends or one end of the upper connector 2, as shown in FIGS. 3D and 3E. It may be a long hole extending in the length direction of the upper connector whose shape is oval or rectangular (for example, rounded rectangle). In this case, when the socket 1 is attached to the long hole, the length of the upper connector between the sockets can be changed by sliding the upper connector 2 in the length direction of the long hole. 3D shows a mode in which long holes are provided at both ends of the upper connector, and FIG. 3E shows a mode in which long holes are provided only at one end of the upper connector. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the probe holder of the present invention including an upper connector having long holes at both ends. In FIG. 4, the lower connector 3 is attached to two sockets by a socket body 6 and a nut 7, and the upper connector 2 having long holes at both ends is attached by an attachment portion 8 that is a socket body 6 and a nut.

  By sliding the upper connector 2 attached to the socket, the length (connection length) of the upper connector 2 connecting the sockets can be changed. Furthermore, by tightening the nut at the top of the socket, the upper connector 2 is fixed in a locked state with the socket, so that the length of the upper connector 2 that connects the sockets can be fixed to a certain length. it can. In other words, the length of the upper connector between the sockets can be changed or fixed depending on whether the upper connector and the socket are unlocked or locked.

  The upper connector can be rotated around the socket when the upper connector is not locked by being locked to the socket, and cannot be rotated when the upper connector is locked by being locked to the socket. When a plurality of sockets and connectors are used in combination, the connecting angle between the upper connectors with the socket as an axis is an arbitrary angle and the same angle as the connecting angle between the lower connectors in a rotatable state. Can be adjusted and held.

  Further, the upper connector may be composed of a plurality of long plate-like members, and the length of the entire upper connector may be changed when the plurality of long plate-like members are connected to each other. For example, you may provide a long hole in the part which couple | bonds the long plate-shaped members of several long plate-shaped members. 3F and 3G show two long plate-like members 9 constituting the upper connector. FIG. 3F is a view of the long plate member 9 as viewed from above, and FIG. 3G is a view of the long plate member 9 as viewed from the side. As shown in FIG. 3F and FIG. 3G, the long plate-like member has a hole that fits into the upper mounting portion of the socket at one end and a convex portion at the other end. Furthermore, it has a long hole near the center. As shown in FIG. 5, two long plate-like members 9 can be combined and used as an upper connector. In FIG. 5, the lower connector 3 is attached to two sockets by a socket body 6 and a nut 7, and two long plates are connected to each other through a hole at one end of a long plate-like member 9 by an attachment portion 8 which is a socket body 6 and a nut. Each member 9 is attached to two sockets. The long holes near the center of the two long plate-like members 9 can be partially overlapped, and the convex portion of one long plate-like member 9 fits into the long hole of the other long plate-like member 9. It is possible to adjust the length between the sockets of the upper connector by connecting the two long plate members 9 so that the long plates overlap each other and sliding the long plate members linearly. At this time, the two long plate-like members can be connected by screwing them through the long holes. That is, the upper connector can be fixed and locked at an arbitrary connection length by tightening the screw 10 inserted into the long hole where the two long plate members 9 are overlapped.

  Further, the socket may be provided with a mechanism capable of changing the length of the upper connector that connects the two sockets and fixing the upper connector to a fixed length.

  The mechanism that can change the length of the upper connector that connects between the two sockets and can be fixed to a fixed length is not limited, and includes any mechanism.

  The upper connector may be directly attached to the probe instead of the probe socket. At this time, an attachment portion for attaching the upper connector to the probe may be provided.

  By making the length of the upper connector connecting the sockets larger than the length of the lower connector, the holder composed of the socket, the upper connector and the lower connector is bent. By bending, when the holder is attached to the curved biological surface of the subject, for example, the head, it can be attached in close contact with the biological surface while holding the probe perpendicular to the biological surface. Optical biometric measurement becomes possible. At this time, by changing the length of the upper connector for connecting the sockets, the degree of bending of the probe holder can be adjusted, so that it can be adapted to the bent portion of the living body surface. In addition, by fixing the length of the upper connector that connects the sockets at a fixed length, the degree of bending of the probe holder can be fixed and held, and it adheres closely to the bending surface of the biological surface. Can be installed.

  2A shows a state where the upper connector is not locked and the length of the upper connector between the sockets is equal to the length of the lower connector, and FIG. 2B shows the length of the upper connector between the sockets. It shows a state in which the holder is bent and locked in a state longer than the length of the lower connector between them.

  The holder of the present invention can be combined with a large number of sockets and a large number of upper and lower connectors, and can be brought into close contact with a wide range of biological surfaces by combining them in a net shape. When combining a large number of sockets and a large number of upper and lower connectors, two or more upper and lower connectors may be attached to one socket in an overlapping manner.

  At this time, the position of the probe can be adjusted by adjusting the angle with the socket between the connectors attached to one socket as an axis.

  The probe holder of the present invention can be used as a probe holder of a measuring apparatus for photobiological measurement methods such as a brain function measurement method using near infrared spectrophotometry (NIRS).

  The present invention will be specifically described by the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

  FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the probe holder in a state where a plurality of sockets, an upper connector and a lower connector are combined. FIG. 6A shows a state where the upper connector is locked, and FIG. 6B shows a state where the upper connector is not locked. Furthermore, FIG. 6C shows the probe holder as viewed from below the socket. In the probe holder of FIG. 6C, a black cloth material is attached to the lower connector. In a state where the upper connector is locked, it bends as shown in FIG. 6A, and its shape is held independently, and sufficient rigidity is obtained. On the other hand, in a state where the lock is released, the state becomes sufficiently supple as shown in FIG. 6B and can follow any shape. As shown in FIG. 6C, since the connection angle between the sockets connected by the lower connector is fixed, the positional relationship of the irradiation-light receiving portion distribution can be kept unchanged. FIG. 6D shows a state where it is actually attached to the head. The upper connector was brought into close contact with the head without being locked, and then the upper connector was locked. As shown in FIG. 6D, the bottom surface of the holder is held in close contact with the head, and the probe is introduced perpendicular to the curved surface of the head.

  The probe holder of the present invention can be used as a probe holder of a measuring apparatus for photobiological measurement methods such as a brain function measurement method using near infrared spectrophotometry (NIRS).

It is a figure which shows the structure and operation | movement (FIG. 1A) of the conventional probe holder, and the structure and operation | movement (FIG. 1B) of the probe holder of this invention. In the probe holder of this invention, it is a figure which shows the state (FIG. 2A) which locked the connection of an upper connector (FIG. 2A), and the connection of an upper connector (FIG. 2B). The figure which shows the long plate-like member (FIG. 3F and G) which comprises the probe socket (FIG. 3A), lower connector (FIG. 3B), upper connector (FIGS. 3C-E), and upper connector of the probe holder of this invention. It is. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the one aspect | mode of the probe holder of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the one aspect | mode of the probe holder of this invention. It is a figure which shows the Example of the probe holder of this invention which consists of a combination of a some probe socket and an upper and lower connector, and is a figure which shows the state which locked the upper connector. It is a figure which shows the Example of the probe holder of this invention which consists of a combination of a some probe socket and an upper and lower connector, and is a figure which shows the state which has not locked the upper connector. It is a figure which shows the Example of the probe holder of this invention which consists of a combination of a some probe socket and an upper and lower connector, and is the figure which looked at the probe holder from the lower direction. It is a figure which shows the Example of the probe holder of this invention which consists of a combination of a some probe socket and an upper and lower connector, and is a figure which shows the state which mounted | wore the head with the probe holder.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Probe socket 2 Upper connector 3 Lower connector 4 Cloth-like material 5 Probe 6 Socket main body 7 Nut 8 Attachment part 9 Long plate-shaped member 10 Screw

Claims (10)

At least two sockets for holding an irradiation probe and a light receiving probe for photobiological measurement attached along the surface of the subject , and two layers of an upper connector and a lower connector for connecting the upper and lower portions of the socket , respectively A probe holder for photobiological measurement comprising the connector of
The lower coupling element are each of a lower portion of the socket, the distance between the socket bottom is securely attached so as not to be changed, the upper coupling element is in an upper portion of each of the said socket, the distance between the socket upper A probe holder for photobiological measurement, characterized by having a mechanism that can be fixed to a certain length after adjustment . After adjusting the fixing position of the upper portion of the upper coupling element and the socket, by fixing the upper coupling element at the top of the socket, the bending of the formed probe holder in consolidated of the socket and the two layers The probe holder for photobiological measurement according to claim 1, wherein the degree can be changed so as to be adapted to the curved surface of the surface of the subject. Among the illumination probe and said receiving probe is held in the socket, the protruding part from the socket at the top, for the optical biometric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper coupling element is mounted Probe holder. The lower coupling element has a hole at both ends, claim a portion of the socket by being fitted into the hole, the lower coupling element, characterized in that the fixedly attached to the bottom of the socket The probe holder for photobiological measurement of any one of 1-3. After adjusting the connection position of the upper portion of the upper coupling element and said socket mechanism capable of fixing the both, the upper coupling element, according to claim 1, characterized in that provided on at least one of said socket 5. The optical biological probe holder according to any one of 4 above. After adjusting the connection position of the upper portion of the upper coupling element and the socket, the mechanism may be fixed, it said opened at one or both ends of the upper coupling element, a long hole extending in a longitudinal direction of the upper coupling element There, before SL on the upper coupling element is an upper portion of the socket, optical biometric probe holder according to claim 5, wherein one or both ends through the elongated hole is equal to or attached to the socket in a slidable state . The mechanism that can be fixed after adjusting the connecting position of the upper connector and the upper part of the socket is composed of two long plate members having long holes, and the two long plate members are connected to each other through the long holes. 6. The probe holder for photobiological measurement according to claim 5 , wherein the two slab-like members are fixed to the socket after being connected in a slidable state and adjusting the connecting position . The said upper connector and the said lower connector are rotatably attached centering | focusing on the said socket, The angle between each connector can be adjusted, The one of Claims 1-7 characterized by the above-mentioned. Probe holder. The probe holder according to claim 1 , further comprising a cloth-like material between the lower connector and the socket . An optical biometric near infrared spectroscopic measurement of brain functions, the probe holder according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the surface of the subject, characterized in that a head surface.

Images