Electrical Impedance Tomography Scanner

Abstract

An electrical impedance tomography scanning detector with fixed electrode positions that can facilitate comprehensive detection and uses a unified and consistent program for computer imaging. An anode probe, a cathode probe, and a control are installed on the handle, and the arc surface of the anode is closely attached to the object to be detected; a positive potential is applied to the anode collector plate and the anode probe of the anode probe, and a negative potential is applied to the cathode collector plate and the corresponding cathode probe of the cathode probe; the current between each anode probe and the corresponding cathode probe is detected; the impedance between each probe is obtained based on the above current; the handle is moved up, down, left, and right to complete the overall scanning detection of the object to be detected. The tissue structure and property information inside the object to be detected are displayed on the monitor using a computer program. The research history of electrical impedance tomography is long and the data is rich. The instrument has a simple structure and low cost. It is compact and easy to popularize. Each detection electrode is fixed, which is convenient for signal processing of the detection and for comparing and judging the detection results.

Description

(1) Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to electrical impedance tomography instruments, and in particular to an electrical impedance tomography scanner that uses micro-resistivity for electrical imaging detection. (2) Background Art

[0002] Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is based on the fact that different tissues in the human body have different resistances / conductivities under different physiological and pathological conditions. By applying a small safe driving current / voltage to the human body and measuring the response information of the driving current or voltage in the human body, an image of the resistivity distribution or its changes inside the human body is reconstructed.

[0003] The human body can be regarded as a complex conductor composed of a large number of tissues with different electrical properties and different spatial distributions. Different tissues in different parts and organs of the human body have different constitutive characteristics and compositions, showing corresponding impedance characteristics, and the differences between them are also very obvious. Moreover, the impedance of tissues is directly related to the frequency of the applied signal.

[0004] Conventional electrical impedance tomography arranges a circle of electrodes around the human body to form an electrode array. A pair of electrodes are connected to the driving current, and the voltage and current between other electrode pairs are detected to determine the electrical impedance of the internal tissues of the human body. Based on this, a computer forms an electrical impedance image of the internal tissues. In this detection method, the electrode positions are scattered and randomly arranged, and a unified and consistent detection imaging program cannot be formed, so that this detection method cannot be popularized like detection methods such as B-ultrasound and CT.

[0005] In order to popularize electrical impedance tomography detection, an electrical impedance tomography scanner is needed with fixed electrode positions, which can conveniently perform comprehensive detection and can use a unified and consistent program for computer imaging.

[0006] The following are the related patents of electrical impedance tomography in recent years:

[0007] The patent with the application number CN202110427775.7 and the title "A Non-contact Magnetic Induction Electrical Impedance Scanning Imaging Device and Imaging Method". This patent is about a non-contact magnetic induction electrical impedance scanning imaging device and imaging method, which relates to the field of biomedical imaging. The device is mainly used to detect the position information, pathological information and appearance information of human disease lesions. The device mainly consists of four parts: a signal excitation module, a signal processing system, a control system and a display module. The main working process and effect of the present invention is to apply a sinusoidal alternating excitation current to the excitation coil on one side of the tissue to be measured, so as to generate an alternating magnetic field around the tissue to be measured, and thus cause the tissue to be measured to generate alternating eddy currents due to electromagnetic induction. Detection is carried out through the coil array covering the other side of the tissue to be measured, so as to obtain the information of each slice of the tissue to be measured, and then all the detection information is transmitted to the control unit, so as to realize the three-dimensional detection of the tissue to be measured.

[0008] This patent application uses electromagnetic coils to excite biological tissues to generate excitation currents, and the excitation currents then generate induced magnetic fields, so that currents are generated in the coils on the other side of the biological tissues for biological tissue detection. Obviously, this requires two sets of coils before and after, and it is not convenient to carry out detection and cannot be popularized.

[0009] The patent with the application number CN200620025265.8 and the title "An Electrode Array Sensor for Electrical Impedance Imaging". This patent application relates to an electrode array sensor for electrical impedance tomography, including columnar electrodes and electrode plates: the electrode plate has a planar disk shape, the columnar electrodes are located on one side of the electrode plate, and the column axes are perpendicular to the electrode plate and are distributed two-dimensionally to form an electrode array. The electrode array is arranged in an equilateral triangle topology, and 6 identical electrodes are distributed around each electrode at equal angles and equal distances. When an excitation current is injected into a certain electrode, a three-dimensional electric field will be formed under the surface of the human body to be measured according to the impedance distribution of the tissue, and each of the other electrodes can form a response to the distribution of this electric field through the human tissue to obtain the deep slice information of the human tissue parallel to the plane of the electrode plate. The electrode array, together with the current excitation circuit, the gating switch array and the signal detection circuit, constitutes the signal acquisition part of the electrical impedance tomography system. After demodulation and analog-to-digital conversion, digital signals are obtained, and these signals are input into the terminal computer through the digital signal processing circuit.

[0010] This patent application uses an electrode array sensor, and the electrode array is arranged in an equilateral triangle topology, and 6 identical electrodes are distributed around each electrode at equal angles and equal distances. Obviously, this electrode arrangement is still too scattered, and a unified and consistent detection and imaging program cannot be used, so it cannot be popularized. (III) Summary of the Invention

[0011] The object of the present invention is to develop an electrical impedance tomography (EIT) scanner that can fix the positions of electrodes, perform comprehensive detection conveniently, and conduct computer imaging using a unified and consistent program. The content of the present invention is as follows: The EIT scanner includes a handle, an anode probe, a cathode probe, a control anode, a socket, a control current, a detection current 1, a detection current 2, a detection current 3, a beam current, and a subject to be detected. It also includes an anode PCB, anode probes, an anode isolation sleeve, an anode beam plate; a cathode PCB, cathode probes, a cathode isolation sleeve, and a cathode beam plate. The handle has a housing structure composed of upper and lower parts, and is equipped with an anode probe, a cathode probe, a control anode, and a socket; the control anode is in the middle, and the anode probes are symmetrically distributed on both sides, with exactly the same structure; the socket is connected to the handle. 21 anode probes are welded on the anode PCB of the anode probe, and each probe is insulated and installed in 21 holes of the anode beam plate by an anode isolation sleeve. 21 cathode probes are welded on the cathode PCB of the cathode probe, and each cathode probe is insulated and installed in 21 holes of the cathode beam plate by a cathode isolation sleeve. The anode probes, the anode beam plate, and the control anode in the anode probe are all connected to the same-polarity voltage, and the cathode probes and the cathode beam plate in the cathode probe are connected to the opposite-polarity potential.

[0012] The object of the present invention is achieved as follows:

[0013] Press the arc surfaces of the anode probe, the cathode probe, and the control anode installed on the handle closely against the subject to be detected; apply a positive potential to the anode beam plate and 21 anode probes of the anode probe, and apply a negative potential to the cathode beam plate and 21 corresponding cathode probes of the cathode probe. The signals between the probes are detection signals, and the control anode is connected to a composite signal of a DC positive power supply and a sine wave signal; perform AC modulation on the above signals; detect the current between each anode probe and the corresponding cathode probe; obtain the impedance between the probes based on the above current; move the handle up, down, left, and right; complete the overall scanning detection of the subject to be detected.

[0014] Calculate the tissue structure and trait information inside the subject to be detected based on the above impedance, and use a computer program to display the tissue structure and trait information inside the subject to be detected on a display. (IV) Description of the Drawings

[0015] The specific structure of the present invention is given by the following embodiments and their drawings:

[0016] Att Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the A-A section of the EIT scanner of the present invention.

[0017] Att Figure 2 is a bottom view of the EIT scanner of the present invention.

[0018] Att Figure 3It is the front view of the anode probe of the electrical impedance tomography scanning detector of the present invention.

[0019] Appendix Figure 4 It is the A-A cross-sectional view of the anode probe of the electrical impedance tomography scanning detector of the present invention.

[0020] Appendix Figure 5 It is the bottom view of the anode probe of the electrical impedance tomography scanning detector of the present invention.

[0021] Appendix Figure 6 It is the front view of the cathode probe of the electrical impedance tomography scanning detector of the present invention.

[0022] Appendix Figure 7 It is the A-A cross-sectional view of the cathode probe of the electrical impedance tomography scanning detector of the present invention.

[0023] Appendix Figure 8 It is the bottom view of the cathode probe of the electrical impedance tomography scanning detector of the present invention.

[0024] Appendix Figure 9 It is the axonometric view of the electrical impedance tomography scanning detector of the present invention.

[0025] Appendix Figure 10 It is the axonometric view of the anode probe of the electrical impedance tomography scanning detector of the present invention.

[0026] Appendix Figure 11 It is the detection principle diagram of the electrical impedance tomography scanning detector of the present invention.

[0027] Among them, (1) handle, (2) anode probe, (3) cathode probe, (4) control anode, (5) socket, (6) control current, (7) detection current 1, (8) detection current 2, (9) detection current 3, (10) beam plate current, (11) object to be detected;

[0028] (201) Anode PCB, (202) anode probe, (203) anode isolation sleeve, (204) anode beam plate;

[0029] (301) Cathode PCB, (302) cathode probe, (303) cathode isolation sleeve, (304) cathode beam plate;

[0030] (2021) Anode probe 1, (2022) anode probe 2, (2023) anode probe 3, (2027) anode probe 7, (2028) anode probe 8, (20214) anode probe 14, (20215) anode probe 15, (20221) anode probe 21;

[0031] (2031) Anode isolation sleeve 1, (2032) Anode isolation sleeve 2, (2033) Anode isolation sleeve 3, (2037) Anode isolation sleeve 7, Anode (2038) Anode isolation sleeve 8, (20314) Anode isolation sleeve 14, (20315) Anode isolation sleeve 15, (20321) Anode isolation sleeve 21;

[0032] (3021) Cathode probe 1, (3022) Cathode probe 2, (3023) Cathode probe 3, (3027) Cathode probe 7, (3028) Cathode probe 8, (30214) Cathode probe 14, (30215) Cathode probe 15, (30221) Cathode probe 21;

[0033] (3031) Cathode isolation sleeve 1, (3032) Cathode isolation sleeve 2, (3033) Cathode isolation sleeve 3, (3037) Cathode isolation sleeve 7, Cathode (3038) Cathode isolation sleeve 8, (30314) Cathode isolation sleeve 14, (30315) Cathode isolation sleeve 15, (30321) Cathode isolation sleeve 21. (V) Specific implementation manner

[0034] According to the attached Figure 3 、Attached Figure 4 、Attached Figure 5 Weld anode probe 1 (2021), …, anode probe 21 (20221) on the anode PCB board (201);

[0035] Insert anode isolation sleeve 1 (2031), …, anode isolation sleeve 21 (20321) into the 21 holes of the anode beam plate (204). Then insert the anode probes (anode probe 1 (2021), …, anode probe 21 (20221)) on the above-mentioned anode PCB board (201) into the corresponding anode isolation sleeves (203) to form the anode probe head (2). The same installation process forms the cathode probe head (3). The axonometric view of the anode probe head (2) is attached Figure 10 .

[0036] Install the above-mentioned installed anode probe head (2), cathode probe head (3), and control anode (4) according to the attached Figure 1 、Attached Figure 9 As shown, install them on the handle (1) and connect the wires to the socket (5). The socket (5) is connected to the computer interface board through a plug. Refer to the attached Figure 1 、Attached Figure 2 、Attached Figure 9 : The handle (1) is a housing structure, composed of upper and lower parts, and is equipped with an anode probe head (2), a cathode probe head (3), a control anode (4), and a socket (5); the control anode (4) is in the middle, and the anode probe head (2) and the anode probe head (3) are symmetrically distributed on both sides with exactly the same structure; the socket (5) is connected to the handle. Refer to the attachedFigure 3 , Appendix Figure 4 , Appendix Figure 5 , Appendix Figure 10 : Twenty-one anode probes 1 (2021), anode probes 2 (2022), …, anode probes 21 (20221) are welded on the anode PCB (201) of the anode probe (2). Each probe (202) is insulated and installed in 21 holes of the anode beam plate (204) by anode insulating sleeves 1 (2031), anode insulating sleeves 2 (2032), …, anode insulating sleeves 21 (20321). Refer to Appendix Figure 6 , Appendix Figure 7 , Appendix Figure 8 : Twenty-one cathode probes 1 (3021), cathode probes 2 (3022), …, cathode probes 21 (30221) are welded on the cathode PCB (301) of the cathode probe (3). Each cathode probe (302) is insulated and installed in 21 holes of the cathode beam plate (304) by cathode insulating sleeves 1 (3031), cathode insulating sleeves 2 (3032), …, cathode insulating sleeves 21 (30321). Refer to Appendix Figure 11 The anode probes (202), anode beam plate (204), and control anode (4) in the anode probe (2) are all connected to the same-polarity voltage, and the cathode probes (302) and cathode beam plate (304) in the cathode probe (3) are connected to the opposite-polarity potential. According to the above connection relationship, Appendix Figure 11The current lines shown are: control current (6), detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), detection current 3 (9), and beam plate current (10). Among them, the control current (6) controls the current between the control anode (4) and the cathode beam plate (304); the detection current 1 (7) is the current between the anode probe 1 (2021) and the cathode probe 1 (3021); the detection current 2 (8) is the current between the anode probe 8 (2028) and the cathode probe 8 (3028); the detection current 3 (9) is the current between the anode probe 15 (20215) and the cathode probe 15 (30215); the beam plate current (10) is the current between the anode beam plate (204) and the cathode beam plate (304). The magnitude of the control current (6) controls the amplitude of the current curves of the detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), detection current 3 (9), and the beam plate current (10) protruding into the object to be detected (11). The magnitude of the beam plate current (10) controls the thickness of the current curves of the detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), and detection current 3 (9). The detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), and detection current 3 (9) detect the impedance of each circuit in the object to be detected (11). As the control current (6) increases from small to large, the detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), and detection current 3 (9) complete a scanning detection from the outside to the inside of the object to be detected (11). The up, down, left, and right movement of the handle (1) completes the overall scanning detection of the object to be detected (11). The above drawings are only for the convenience of description. There are 21 probes 1 (2021)... probes 21 (20221) evenly arranged on the cathode probe (2) and the cathode probe (3). In fact, the number of this arrangement can be arbitrarily arranged according to requirements. The detection current and the control voltage are not limited to direct current, and can also be pulsed current and modulated and amplitude-modulated alternating current of various frequencies. Especially, according to the fact that the impedance of biological tissues has a direct relationship with the frequency of the applied signal, for specific tissues and specific detections, modulated and amplitude-modulated alternating current of specific frequencies is used. The present invention is not limited to applications in the fields of human disease detection, physical examination, biochemical inspection, etc., and can also be applied in the fields of soil, archaeology, forestry research, etc.

[0037] The working process of the present invention is as follows:

[0038] 1. Install the anode probe (2), the cathode probe (3) on the handle (1), and the arc surface of the control anode (4) closely adheres to the object to be detected (11).

[0039] 2. Connect a positive potential to the anode beam plate (204) of the anode probe (2) and the anode probes 1 (2021) to anode probes 21 (20221), and connect a negative potential to the cathode beam plate (304) of the cathode probe (3) and the cathode probes 1 (3021) to cathode probes 21 (30221). The signals between the probes are detection signals, and the control anode (4) is connected to a composite signal of a direct current positive electricity and a sine wave signal.

[0040] 3. Modulate the above signals into alternating current.

[0041] 4. Detect the currents between the detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), detection current 3 (9), and other anode probes and their corresponding cathode probes.

[0042] 5. Obtain the impedance between each probe based on the above currents.

[0043] 6. Move the handle (1) up, down, left, and right.

[0044] 7. Repeat the above processes 4 and 5.

[0045] 8. Complete the overall scanning detection of the object to be detected (11).

[0046] 9. Calculate the tissue structure and property information inside the object to be detected (11) based on the above impedance, and use a computer program to display the tissue structure and property information inside the object to be detected (11) on a display.

[0047] The present invention has the following characteristics:

[0048] 1. The detection current is within a safe range and causes no harm to the human body.

[0049] 2. It can detect tissue properties.

[0050] 3. The research history of impedance imaging is long and there is rich data.

[0051] 4. The instrument is made of general materials and processed by general methods, with a simple structure, low cost, and good economy.

[0052] 5. It has a compact structure and is convenient for popularization.

[0053] 6. Each detection electrode is fixed, which is convenient for signal processing of the detection and for comparing and judging the detection results.

Claims

1. An electrical impedance tomography scanning detector, characterized in that The electrical impedance tomography scanning detector includes: a handle (1), an anode probe (2), a cathode probe (3), a control anode (4), and a socket (5); an anode PCB (201), an anode probe (202), an anode isolation sleeve (203), and an anode beam-forming plate (204); a cathode PCB (301), a cathode probe (302), a cathode isolation sleeve (303), and a cathode beam-forming plate (304); anode probe 1 (2021), anode probe 2 (2022), anode probe 3 (2023), anode probe 7 (2027), anode probe 8 (2028), anode probe 14 (20214), anode probe 15 (20215), anode probe 21 (20221); anode isolation sleeve 1 (2031), anode isolation sleeve 2 (2032), anode isolation sleeve 3 (2033), anode isolation sleeve 7 (2037), anode isolation sleeve 8 (2038), anode isolation sleeve 14 (20314), anode isolation sleeve 15 (20315), anode isolation sleeve 21 (20321); cathode probe 1 (3021), cathode probe 2 (3022), cathode probe 3 (3023), cathode probe 7 (3027), cathode probe 8 (3028), cathode probe 14 (30214), cathode probe 15 (30215), cathode probe 21 (30221); cathode isolation sleeve 1 (3031), cathode isolation sleeve 2 (3032), cathode isolation sleeve 3 (3033), cathode isolation sleeve 7 (3037), cathode isolation sleeve 8 (3038), cathode isolation sleeve 14 (30314), cathode isolation sleeve 15 (30315), cathode isolation sleeve 21 (30321); The handle (1) is of a housing structure, composed of two upper and lower parts, and is equipped with an anode probe (2), a cathode probe (3), a control anode (4), and a socket (5); the control anode (4) is in the middle, and the anode probe (2) and the cathode probe (3) are symmetrically distributed on both sides with exactly the same structure; the socket (5) is connected to the handle; Twenty-one anode probes (202), including anode probe 1 (2021), anode probe 2 (2022),..., anode probe 21 (20221), are welded on the anode PCB (201) of the anode probe (2), and each anode probe (202) is insulated and installed in 21 holes of the anode beam-forming plate (204) by anode isolation sleeve 1 (2031), anode isolation sleeve 2 (2032),..., anode isolation sleeve 21 (20321); A positive potential is applied to the anode beam-forming plate (204) of the anode probe (2) and anode probe 1 (2021) to anode probe 21 (20221), and a negative potential is applied to the cathode beam-forming plate (304) of the cathode probe (3) and cathode probe 1 (3021) to cathode probe 21 (30221), and the signals between the probes are detection signals; The control anode (4) is connected to a composite signal of DC positive electricity and a sine wave signal; the detection and control signals are modulated in AC.

2. The electrical impedance tomography scanning detector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anode probe (202), anode beam plate (204), and control anode (4) in the anode probe (2) are all connected to voltages of the same polarity, while the cathode probe (302) and cathode beam plate (304) in the cathode probe (3) are connected to potentials of opposite polarities.

3. The electrical impedance tomography scanning detector according to claim 1, wherein: The control current (6) is the current between the control anode (4) and the cathode beam plate (304); the detection current 1 (7) is the current between the anode probe 1 (2021) and the cathode probe 1 (3021); the detection current 2 (8) is the current between the anode probe 8 (2028) and the cathode probe 8 (3028); the detection current 3 (9) is the current between the anode probe 15 (20215) and the cathode probe 15 (30215); the beam plate current (10) is the current between the anode beam plate (204) and the cathode beam plate (304).

4. The electrical impedance tomography scanning detector according to claim 1, wherein: The magnitude of the control current (6) controls the amplitude of the current curves of the detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), detection current 3 (9), and beam plate current (10) that protrude into the object to be detected (11). The magnitude of the beam plate current (10) controls the thickness of the current curves of the detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), and detection current 3 (9). The detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), and detection current 3 (9) detect the impedance of each circuit within the object to be detected (11).

5. The electrical impedance tomography scanning detector according to claim 1, wherein: As the control current (6) increases from small to large, the detection current 1 (7), detection current 2 (8), and detection current 3 (9) complete a scanning detection from the outside to the inside of the object to be detected (11).

6. The electrical impedance tomography scanning detector according to claim 1, wherein: The up, down, left, and right movement of the handle (1) completes the overall scanning detection of the object to be detected (11).

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