Fibrosis Measurement Using Acoustic Scanning and EM Signal Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring fibrosis in organs such as the heart, kidneys, and lungs are invasive, placing a burden on patients and are not suitable for frequent testing, and there is a lack of a non-invasive method to directly measure fibrosis.
Innovation Solution
A fibrosis measurement device that uses sound waves to emit and concentrate on biological tissues, receiving electromagnetic waves to extract signals indicating electrical, magnetic, electromechanical, and magnetomechanical properties, and comparing these signals with predetermined thresholds to assess fibrosis non-invasively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If biopsy is used to measure fibrosis, then measurement precision is improved, but patient burden increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical biopsy procedure with a non-invasive acoustic measurement system. Sound waves are emitted into the biological tissue and the resulting acoustic emissions are detected and analyzed to quantify fibrosis, eliminating the need for physical tissue extraction while maintaining diagnostic capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic emissions as an intermediary signal that carries information about fibrosis. By detecting and analyzing these acoustic emissions generated within the tissue, the system indirectly measures fibrosis without direct tissue contact or extraction, reducing patient burden while preserving measurement precision
2Measurement precision
If biopsy is used to measure fibrosis, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to inability to perform frequent testing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the invasive biopsy procedure with a non-invasive acoustic measurement system that can be repeated frequently without compromising patient safety or tissue integrity, enabling high-frequency monitoring of fibrosis progression or treatment response
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables periodic and repeated measurements of fibrosis using sound wave emission and detection. The system can be applied multiple times at intervals to monitor changes in fibrosis over time, significantly increasing testing frequency compared to single-use biopsy procedures
3Ease of operation
If conventional non-invasive methods are used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates as they cannot directly measure fibrosis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses acoustic emissions as an intermediary that directly reflects fibrosis characteristics. By analyzing the acoustic properties of these emissions, the system achieves direct measurement of fibrosis while maintaining non-invasive operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent measures changes in acoustic emission parameters (amplitude, frequency, timing) that directly correlate with fibrosis characteristics. By detecting these parameter changes in the acoustic emissions, the system achieves precise direct measurement of fibrosis without invasion
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 non-invasive measurement of fibrosis, allowing for accurate and quantitative evaluation of tissue fibrosis without the need for invasive procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a sound wave emitter that performs scanning over a surface of a biological tissue as a measurement object to emit sound waves such that the sound waves are concentrated on multiple locations of the biological tissue
Implementation Method 2
a measurement object is irradiated with sound waves such that the electric charge and magnetization of the measurement object is modulated, and information regarding electrical properties and magnetic properties of the measurement object is externally transmitted in the form of electromagnetic radiation
Data Source
AI summary
A fibrosis measurement device that measures fibrosis of a biological tissue non-invasively includes: a sound wave emitter that performs scanning over a surface of a biological tissue as a measurement object to emit sound waves; an electromagnetic wave receiver that receives an electromagnetic wave generated at each location of a biological tissue irradiated with sound waves; a signal extractor that extracts a signal indicating physical property, based on at least one selected from a group including the amplitude, phase, and frequency of an electromagnetic wave received by the electromagnetic wave receiver; an imaging unit that images signals extracted by the signal extractor; and an area comparison unit that compares the area of a portion of the two-dimensional image in which signals indicating a property are displayed, with an area corresponding to a preset threshold of the strength of the signals.