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US 2003/0167008 A1Published application
Malignancy detection apparatus
OwnerGary Rogers, Mark Hugh Shoplandinventors
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OwnerGary Rogers, Mark Hugh Shoplandinventors
Estimating the term…
Melanoma is currently a major concern to the general public, and referrals of patients to hospitals by doctors in general practice have multiplied in number. It would be advantageous if a system were available for use by such doctors that was capable of reliably testing skin lesions to determie whether or not a particular lesion was malignant. The present invention proposes such a system using an infra-red sensor in a housing (10) that is scanned, in a measurable, position-aware manner, over the skin to sense the skin's temperature in the area of and around the suspect lesion. The sensor's output being recorded and then displayed to provide a profile of the temperature along the scanned track, from which profile can be deduced something about the likely nature of the lesion.
A system for detecting skin and sub-surface malignancies, the system comprising:
A system as claimed in either of the preceding claims, wherein the infra-red sensor as associated therewith IR-transparent optical means to focus the infra-red radiation on to it.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the IR-sensor is held by a housing itself positioned a small fixed (and known) but adjustable distance above the skin surface, there being means for guiding the sensor/housing to maintain the required distance above the skin as it traverses the lesion.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor height adjustment arrangement is able to cope with varying heights of lesion.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the height adjustment arrangement is such that the sensor housing is adjustable prior to use, and its height is set for the duration of scanning.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the means for traversing the sensor in a measured manner along a line across the skin is one or more wheel to which the sensor and its associated equipment is suitably mounted.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the system's means for sequentially recording the IR radiation incident on the sensor at a series of points along the line include an encoder to provide data relating to the instantaneous position along the line where the infra-red radiation is sensed.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the display means to which is sent the data acquired by the recording means is a dedicated microprocessor controlling a suitable display device.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the profile display means is associated with computing and calculating means able to provide an indications as to whether the lesion is likely to be malignant.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims and substantially as described hereinbefore.
A method for detecting skin and sub-surface malignancies, in which method, and using apparatus as defined in any of the preceding claims:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.