Automated Pain Assessment System Using Segmented Body Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing chronic pain, particularly multi-site pain, are inadequate as they rely on subjective and global scales that fail to accurately characterize pain intensity, spatial extent, and temporal patterns, leading to inaccurate interpretations of clinical outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A system that receives pain data, such as patient drawings and dermatome maps, to generate composite pain scores by producing pain descriptors indicating pain intensity, spatial extent, and temporal patterns, and outputs diagnostic information including the composite pain score and therapy efficacy indicators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If global pain scales (NRS, VAS) are used to assess pain, then the assessment is simple and quick, but the characterization of multi-site pain is inaccurate and inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the body into multiple anatomical regions and assesses pain separately in each region using pain drawings. Instead of using a single global scale, the system divides the pain assessment into multiple localized assessments, allowing accurate characterization of multi-site pain while maintaining efficiency through automated processing of the segmented data.
2Measurement precision
If pain drawings with multiple quantifiers are used to characterize multi-site pain, then the pain characterization becomes more complete and detailed, but the assessment process becomes cumbersome and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple pain quantifiers (number of painful areas, spatial extent, intensity ratings) into a single integrated pain score. The system automatically processes pain drawings and merges multiple measurement dimensions into one comprehensive metric, providing complete pain characterization without requiring manual calculation of multiple separate quantifiers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual pain assessment methods with an automated computer-based system that processes pain drawings and calculates pain scores. The mechanical process of manually measuring and calculating multiple pain quantifiers is substituted with automated image processing and algorithmic score generation, reducing complexity while maintaining comprehensive characterization.
3Ease of operation
If single pain intensity rating is used for multi-site pain patients, then the assessment is simple, but the pain intensity measurement is inaccurate as it captures only one area or aggregate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pain intensity assessment by evaluating each anatomical region separately on the pain drawing. Instead of asking for a single global rating, the system divides the body into multiple regions and assesses pain intensity in each region independently, then integrates these segmented measurements into a comprehensive pain intensity metric that accurately reflects multi-site pain.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for assessing pain in a subject are disclosed. The system (100) can receive pain data indicative of pain in the subject, such as a patient pain drawing or a dermatome map. A processor circuit (220) can use the pain data to generate a plurality of pain descriptors indicative of pain intensity, spatial extent of pain, or temporal pattern of pain. The processor can use the pain descriptors to produce a composite pain score that quantifies overall pain of the subject. The system can include an output unit that can produce a presentation of information about the pain in the subject including the composite pain score.