Endoscopic Inflatable Body for Tissue Elastography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscopes face challenges in differentiating between hard and soft tissue within body cavities, particularly in areas difficult to access, due to the inability to apply rhythmic pressure for effective elastographic examination.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopic device equipped with an inflatable body and a mechanism for rhythmically changing its volume, allowing for elastographic recording by alternately expanding and contracting the inflatable body to apply pressure on surrounding tissue, thereby distinguishing between hard and soft tissue portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If an endoscope is inserted into a body cavity to examine difficult-to-access regions, then the ability to image and illuminate the region is improved, but the ability to differentiate between hard and soft tissue is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable body is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as a coupling medium for ultrasonic waves and simultaneously functions as a pressure application device for elastography. By rhythmically inflating and deflating the balloon, the system can apply controlled pressure to the tissue while maintaining the ultrasonic coupling interface, thus enabling tissue differentiation without requiring separate mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static inflatable body to a dynamically controllable one. The inflatable body is connected to a pressure source that can rhythmically vary its volume, creating dynamic pressure application on the tissue. This dynamic behavior enables the elastographic examination by causing hard and soft tissues to respond differently to the rhythmic pressure changes.
2Measurement precision
If conventional endoscopy is used to examine body cavities, then illumination and imaging are achieved, but elastographic examination cannot be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable body serves dual purposes: as a coupling medium for ultrasonic waves and as a pressure application device. This multi-functionality allows the system to perform both standard endoscopic imaging and elastographic examination without requiring entirely separate devices, thus improving measurement precision while limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the ultrasonic coupling function and the pressure application function into a single component (the inflatable body). By combining these functions, the system achieves elastographic measurement capability without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same physical structure performs both roles.
3Measurement precision
If the inflatable body volume is rhythmically changed to apply pressure on tissue, then tissue elasticity can be differentiated, but the device requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable body is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as a coupling medium for ultrasonic waves and simultaneously functions as a pressure application device for elastography. By rhythmically inflating and deflating the balloon, the system can apply controlled pressure to the tissue while maintaining the ultrasonic coupling interface, thus enabling tissue differentiation without requiring separate mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable body itself serves as the pressure application mechanism. By controlling the volume of the inflatable body, the system uses the inflatable body's own expansion and contraction to generate the necessary pressure on the tissue, rather than requiring an entirely separate actuation mechanism. This self-service approach limits the increase in device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate differentiation between hard and soft tissue, facilitating early cancerous tissue detection and reducing the need for additional examinations by providing detailed tissue elasticity information.
Implementation Method 1
Hard and soft tissue portions will then react differently to the pressure applied on the tissue. Soft tissue portions will yield more easily and/or stronger than hard tissue portions.
Implementation Method 2
The relative movements of the tissue portions can be calculated by means of image processing. Hence, hard and soft tissue portions can be differently colored on the screen.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an endoscopic device to be inserted into a body cavity. The endoscopic device includes an elastographic recording means, an inflatable body, and a device for rhythmically changing the volume of the inflatable body.