JPH07328010A - Osteoporosis diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a osteoporosis diagnostic device allowing repetitive inspections with no invasion into a living body, capable of easily comparing diagnostic data, and having a simple structure at a low cost. CONSTITUTION:This osteoporosis diagnostic device is constituted of a tapper 2 tapping the skin of an examinee to give an impact to the bone, a wave receiver 3 receiving the transmitted wave propagated on the bone by the impact from above the skin, a high-speed Fourier transformer 5 outputting the frequency distribution data of the transmitted wave, and a microprocessor 6 discriminating the peak frequency of the transmitted wave from the frequency distribution data of the transmitted wave and calculating the bone density.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for diagnosing osteoporosis.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Osteoporosis, which becomes brittle even when bone density decreases due to a decrease in protein and calcium in bone, is a basic disease such as bone fracture and low back pain in the elderly, and it is important to treat and prevent it at an early stage by early detection. Is. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are diagnostic devices for osteoporosis that mainly diagnose images based on images such as X-rays and particle beams.

[0003]

However, all of the conventional diagnostic devices for osteoporosis are expensive and cannot be used for very regular preventive diagnosis, and because they are invasive such as radiation exposure, repetitive examinations are required. Difficult and hindered early detection. Moreover, since the conventional apparatus diagnoses the progression of osteoporosis mainly from the shadow of the image, it is difficult to compare the diagnostic data.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a diagnostic device which can perform repeated examinations in a non-invasive manner, facilitates comparison of diagnostic data, has a simple structure, and is low in cost.

[0005]

Means and Embodiments for carrying out the present invention are as follows.

<Means> A tapping machine equipped with a tapping head that taps the skin of a person to be measured to give a shock to the bone at a constant strength and at a time interval from a direction perpendicular to the bone, and a conduction propagating through the bone by the shock. A wave receiver that receives a wave from above the skin and converts it into an electric signal, a fast Fourier transformer that analyzes the electric signal from the wave receiver and outputs frequency distribution data of the conducted wave, and the conducted wave It is composed of a microprocessor that calculates the bone density by discriminating the peak frequency of the conduction wave from the frequency distribution data of.

<Embodiment> In the lower part of the tapping device in the above means, a guide is provided so that the tapping head hits the bone at a right angle by bringing the lower end edge into close contact with the skin of the site to be measured.

[0008]

[Function] The conduction wave propagating through the bone due to the impact given to the bone from the beating device is picked up by the wave receiver and converted into an electric signal,
It is sent to the fast Fourier transformer. The electrical signal of the conduction wave is analyzed for frequency distribution in a fast Fourier transformer, and the data is sent to the microprocessor.

In the microprocessor, the peak frequency of the conduction wave is discriminated from the frequency distribution sent from the fast Fourier transformer, and the bone density is calculated from the height of the peak frequency to diagnose osteoporosis.

[0010]

EXAMPLES Specific examples of the apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows the basic principle of the present apparatus. In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes a beating device that strikes the skin to impact the bone 1, and 3 denotes a wave receiver that picks up a conduction wave 4 propagating in the bone. There is.

A tapping device 2 and a wave receiver 3 are applied from above the skin at a position where the bone 1 is relatively shallow from the body surface (front of the lower leg in the figure), and the tapping device 2 is tapped. When the skin is tapped with and a light shock is applied to the bone 1, the bone 1 is affected by this shock.
The conduction wave 4 propagates through and the conduction wave 4 is picked up by the wave receiver 3.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing a comparison between the frequency distribution A of the conduction wave 4 obtained by the wave receiver 3 and the frequency distribution B of the shock given to the bone by the tapping device 2 before the propagation. As shown in this graph, the impact given to the bone from the beating device 2 through the skin changes the frequency distribution as it propagates through the bone,
In the frequency distribution A of the conduction wave 4, a prominent portion (peak) P of the frequency component which is not in the frequency distribution B of the impact given to the bone 1 by the tapper appears in the high frequency region.

The frequency of the peak P depends on the density of the bone 1. When the bone density is high, the peak P appears in a higher frequency region, while when the bone density is low, the peak P is lower. Appears in the area. That is, P on the graph
Is the peak of the healthy person, the peak PL of the osteoporosis patient with low bone density appears in the frequency region lower than P as shown by the virtual line on the graph.

FIG. 3 shows a specific configuration of the apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 5 is a fast Fourier transformer for analyzing the frequency distribution of the conducted wave 4, and 6 is the above-mentioned from the frequency distribution data of the conducted wave. It is a microprocessor for calculating the bone density by discriminating the peak frequency of. As shown in FIG. 4, the tapping machine 2 is composed of a solenoid plunger 7. The solenoid plunger has a plunger rod 8 provided at its tip with a tapping head 9 made of hard rubber or plastic. A guide 2a formed in a cylindrical shape with a lower opening is provided in the lower part of the tapping device 2, and the lower end edge of the guide 2a is brought into close contact with the skin of the site to be measured, so that the tapping head 9 is almost attached to the bone. The contact is made from a right angle direction. A pulse current is supplied to the solenoid plunger 7 from a control device 10 which also functions as a power supply device, and the strength and speed of tapping can be appropriately adjusted depending on the strength and frequency of the pulse current.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the wave receiver 3 for picking up the conduction wave 4. The wave receiver is provided with an acceleration pickup 11 for picking up the conduction wave from the bone 1 and converting it into an electric signal. The signal is sent to the fast Fourier transformer via the signal line 12.

In order to accurately capture the conduction wave, the wave receiver 3
Since it is necessary to bring the accelerometer 11 of FIG. 1 into contact with the skin from a direction substantially perpendicular to the bone with a constant pressure (0.2 to 3.0 kg / cm 2), the wave receiver 3 stretches the accelerometer 11. A more accurate diagnosis can be carried out by providing the clamp on a clamping piece or the like that is clamped by a belt or a split spring, which is provided, so that the clamp can be mounted on the measurement site.

The fast Fourier transformer 5 is for analyzing the frequency distribution of the conduction wave by fast Fourier analysis.
The signal sent from the wave receiver 3 is converted into frequency distribution data and output to the microprocessor 6 via the signal line 13.

The microprocessor 6 discriminates the peak frequency from the frequency distribution data output from the fast Fourier transformer 5 and obtains an average value thereof, and personal data such as the age, sex, and weight of the person to be measured inputted in advance. The diagnosis result is compared with the reference value according to
It can be displayed at RT or printed out from an output device such as the printer 14 connected to the microprocessor 7.

Further, in the microprocessor 6, the historical data of the patient, the data of the healthy person, and the like are made into a database in advance, and the obtained data is compared with the data accumulated in the database, or the diagnosis result is determined. Accumulate advice such as meals and exercise, and output it together with the diagnosis result.

The device of the present invention constructed as described above is used as follows. Personal data such as the age, sex, and weight of the person to be measured are input to the microprocessor 6, and the tapping device 2 and the wave receiver 3 are connected to the bone where the bone is relatively shallow from the body surface.
For example, the spinous processes of the vertebrae, the anterior edges of the tibia, or the radial and ulnar pedicles of the forearm distal end or the medial and lateral sides of the calcaneus, etc. are applied from above the skin almost at right angles to the bone, Hold it by hand, or fix it with a belt or clamp as appropriate.

Since the wave receiver 3 needs to be brought into contact with the skin at a constant pressure as described above, when it is fixed by a belt or a clamp, it is made of an elastic material, a split spring, or the like. The clamping force is applied to the accelerometer 11 so that the accelerometer 11 is pressed against the skin in the above pressure range.

The lower end edge of the guide 2a of the beating tool 2 is brought into close contact with the skin of the site to be measured so that the tapping head 9 hits the bone in a direction perpendicular to the bone, and the beating machine is driven to give an appropriate number of impacts to the bone 1. give. When the acceleration pickup 11 of the wave receiver 3 picks up the conduction wave 4, the fast Fourier transformer 5 analyzes the frequency distribution of the conduction wave and sends the frequency distribution data to the microprocessor 6.

The microprocessor 6 discriminates the peak frequency from a plurality of frequency distribution data and obtains an average value thereof, and calculates the bone density from this value and a standard corresponding to personal data such as age, sex and weight of the subject. Diagnosis is performed by comparison with the value data, and the diagnosis result is output from the printer 14.

In the microprocessor 6, when the average frequency value of the peaks described above is obtained, if the variation in the peak frequency is large, it is determined that the tapping device or the wave receiver is not properly attached, and the microprocessor 6 is attached from the CRT, for example. A defective warning display or warning sound is output to prompt remeasurement.

[0025]

Since the osteoporosis diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, the following effects can be obtained. Just hit the beater and wave receiver from above the skin and give a slight impact to the bone without causing any pain and without using radiation etc. You can

Further, the bone density can be output as a numerical value instead of diagnosing an image as in the conventional case, and comparison diagnosis with reference data and history data of a person to be measured is easy.
Furthermore, since the device configuration is simple and low cost, it can be easily introduced into a sports gym, home, etc. like a blood pressure measuring instrument.

Therefore, it is possible to detect the osteoporosis at an early stage by carrying out the periodic repeated measurement, and it is possible to treat and prevent the osteoporosis at an early stage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of an apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the frequency distribution of a conducted wave.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of a beating device.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing an example of a wave receiver.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bone 2 Striker 3 Wave receiver 4 Conductive wave 5 Fast Fourier transformer 6 Microprocessor 7 Solenoid plunger 8 Plunger rod 9 Tapping head 10 Controller 11 Accelerometer 12, 13 Signal line 14 Printer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A tapping device comprising: (a) a tapping head that taps the skin of a person to be measured to give a shock to the bone at a constant strength and at a time interval from a direction perpendicular to the bone. Receiver that receives the propagated conduction wave from above the skin and converts it to an electrical signal (c) Fast Fourier transformer that analyzes the electrical signal from the receiver and outputs the frequency distribution data of the conduction wave ( d) Microprocessor for calculating the bone density by discriminating the peak frequency of the conduction wave from the frequency distribution data of the conduction wave. The osteoporosis diagnostic device having the above configurations (a) to (d).