Magnetometer Array Localization of Ingested Magnets on X-Ray
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting ingested magnets in pediatric patients are unreliable, leading to delayed diagnosis and increased risk of internal injuries due to the inability to accurately identify magnetic foreign bodies using x-ray scans alone.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an array of magnetometers, I2C multiplexers, and wireless transceivers that generate a magnetic heatmap, integrated with x-ray imaging to provide a precise overlay for magnet localization, using affine transformation to register and overlay magnetic and x-ray images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If x-ray scans are used to detect ingested magnets, then the imaging can show the object's radiopacity and two-dimensional shape, but it is difficult to definitively deduce the presence of a magnet or a harmless metal object due to magnets coming in many different shapes and sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the detection process into two independent modalities: x-ray imaging for anatomical localization and magnetic field sensing for magnetic property detection. The magnetometer array is divided into multiple sensors that independently measure magnetic field strength at different positions, allowing the system to distinguish magnetic from non-magnetic objects even when they appear similar on x-ray.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnetic field sensing as an intermediary detection method between the foreign object and the final diagnosis. The magnetometers act as intermediaries that detect the magnetic signature of ingested objects without requiring direct visual identification through x-ray, thereby resolving the ambiguity of shape-based identification.
2Reliability
If multiple x-rays are taken to track and determine whether an object will safely pass or would require surgical or endoscopic removal, then diagnostic certainty may be improved, but this delays diagnosis and extends hospital stays
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary magnetic field mapping using the magnetometer array to immediately identify whether an ingested object is magnetic. This preliminary detection provides diagnostic certainty in a single measurement session, eliminating the need for repeated x-ray tracking and allowing clinicians to make immediate treatment decisions without delay.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If doctors elect to remove the object if they even remotely suspect that it might be a magnet, then patient safety is prioritized, but unnecessary interventions occur due to diagnostic uncertainty
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides immediate magnetic field detection feedback that confirms or rules out the presence of magnets. This definitive feedback eliminates diagnostic uncertainty, allowing clinicians to proceed with conservative management when magnets are absent and avoid unnecessary removal procedures, while still maintaining high patient safety through accurate detection capability.
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
The system accurately detects and localizes ingested magnets, reducing unnecessary interventions and improving diagnostic accuracy by providing a clear heatmap and x-ray overlay, ensuring safe and timely clinical management.
Implementation Method 1
the array of magnetometers detects a change in electrical resistance caused by a nearby magnetic object by measuring a strength of a magnetic field in three dimensions
Data Source
AI summary
A system for detecting a magnet is disclosed. The system includes an array of magnetometers; one or more inter-integrated circuit (I2C) multiplexers electrically connected to the array of magnetometers; and one or more wireless transceivers electrically connected to the one or more I2C multiplexers, wherein the array of magnetometers detects a change in electrical resistance caused by a nearby magnetic object by measuring a strength of a magnetic field in three dimensions. Then taking the data from the heatmap and overlaying the data on an x-ray to provide results for the clinician.