Transvaginal Probe for Hemoglobin Cyst Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the malignancy of endometriotic ovarian cysts are invasive, unreliable, and often result in unnecessary surgical procedures, as they struggle to accurately differentiate between benign and cancerous cysts due to the interference of stromal cells and visceral fat in optical spectroscopy measurements.
Innovation Solution
A hemoglobin concentration measuring system that uses a transvaginal ultrasound probe with integrated light irradiation and reception parts, emitting light parallel to the ultrasound scanning plane to accurately measure hemoglobin concentration in cyst fluid, employing a multiple regression formula to reduce noise from surrounding tissues and determine malignancy based on specific wavelengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If optical spectroscopy is used to measure hemoglobin concentration in cyst fluid, then the measurement can be performed non-invasively, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to interference from stromal cells and visceral fat
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is divided into multiple functional segments: ultrasound transmitting/receiving part for imaging and locating the cyst, light irradiation part for emitting light, and light receiving part for detecting transmitted light. This segmentation allows the system to first locate the cyst using ultrasound, then apply light specifically to the cyst region, thereby reducing interference from surrounding tissues like stromal cells and visceral fat while maintaining non-invasive measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
Ultrasound imaging serves as an intermediary tool to identify and locate the cyst before optical measurement. The ultrasound transmitting/receiving part creates an image to determine cyst position, which then guides the light irradiation and reception process. This intermediary step enables the system to target the cyst specifically and exclude interference from surrounding tissues, resolving the contradiction between non-invasive access and measurement precision
2Ease of operation
If light is applied from the outside through the blood collection tube or bag, then the measurement can be performed externally, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to light scattering and absorption by the container and surrounding tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The probe structure with integrated ultrasound and optical components acts as an intermediary that eliminates the need for external light application through containers. By placing the light irradiation and reception parts directly at the measurement site within the probe, the system avoids interference from blood collection tubes or bags, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining ease of operation through a unified handheld device
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the light source and detector from the external environment and integrates them directly into the probe structure at the measurement site. This extraction eliminates the interfering elements (containers, surrounding tissues) that would be present in external measurement setups, allowing for precise hemoglobin concentration measurement without the drawbacks of external light application through blood collection vessels
3Reliability
If oophorectomy is performed to prevent potential canceration, then the reliability of preventing malignancy improves, but the loss of healthy tissue increases as 99% of cases are benign
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical/surgical approach (oophorectomy) with a non-invasive optical measurement system. By using light absorption spectroscopy to measure hemoglobin concentration and determine cyst malignancy, the system provides a reliable diagnostic method that avoids unnecessary surgical removal of healthy ovaries, thereby reducing tissue loss while maintaining cancer prevention reliability through accurate diagnosis
Solution Approach 2:
The probe integrates multiple functions (ultrasound imaging, light irradiation, light reception, and concentration calculation) into a single self-contained system that can perform both localization and measurement. This self-service capability allows the system to autonomously identify the cyst, measure hemoglobin concentration, and determine malignancy without requiring separate procedures, providing reliable cancer assessment while avoiding unnecessary oophorectomy in benign cases
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, stable, and accurate measurement of hemoglobin concentration in cyst fluid, reducing unnecessary surgeries by reliably distinguishing between benign and cancerous cysts, thus improving patient care and reducing physical burden.
Implementation Method 1
light irradiation part that emits light in a direction parallel to an ultrasound transmission direction at the center of the convex-shaped scanning plane
Implementation Method 2
concentration calculation part that calculates a hemoglobin concentration in the cyst fluid based on the transmitted light or the reflected light
Implementation Method 3
ultrasound transmitting/receiving part that transmits ultrasound to living tissue of a subject and receives ultrasound echo reflected from the living tissue
Data Source
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AI summary
The hemoglobin measuring system includes: a transvaginal probe, the transvaginal probe including: an ultrasound transmitting/receiving part that is capable of transmitting ultrasound to living tissue and capable of receiving an ultrasound echo reflected from the living tissue; a light irradiation part that is capable of emitting light in a direction parallel to a scanning plane of the ultrasound transmitted from the ultrasound transmitting/receiving part, wherein the light contains components of a plurality of specific wavelengths from a wavelength region ranging from visible light to near-infrared light; and a light receiving part that is capable of receiving reflected light or transmitted light, wherein the reflected light or the transmitted light is light emitted from light irradiation part and reflected by or transmitted through the living tissue to propagate in a direction parallel to above scanning plane; a display part that is capable of displaying an ultrasound image containing an image of an ovarian cyst based on the ultrasound echo received by the ultrasound transmitting/receiving part; and a concentration calculation part that calculates hemoglobin concentration in a cystic fluid retained in the ovarian cyst based on an optical spectrum of the reflected light or transmitted light from the ovarian cyst received by the light receiving part.