Medical sensor system for detecting a feature in a body

A medical sensor system for detecting a feature in a body, the system including:

• a. a reservoir having a reservoir cap thereon, wherein:
• (1) the reservoir and reservoir cap bound a sample volume;
• (2) the cap includes:
• (a) a carrier structure having apertures of fixed size defined therein;
• (b) a conductor situated on the inner surfaces of the apertures;
• (c) an electroactive material on the inner surfaces and conductors, the electroactive material having pores extending through the reservoir cap;
• wherein application of electricity to the conductor induces a change in the sizes of the pores of the electroactive material between:
• i. a closed state wherein the pores are closed, with the cap thereby separating the sample volume from the exterior of the reservoir, and
• ii. a fully open state wherein the pores have maximum pore sizes, with the pores thereby exposing the sample volume to the exterior of the reservoir;
• and
• b. a sensor situated within the sample volume.

A method for operating a medical sensor system having:

• A. a reservoir having a reservoir interior sample volume and a reservoir exterior,
• B. a sensor situated within the reservoir interior sample volume, and
• C. a reservoir cap separating the reservoir interior sample volume and the reservoir exterior, wherein the cap is defined by an organic membrane having pores therein, the pores having controllably adjustable pore sizes,
• the method including the step of applying a stimulus to the cap to change it between:
• i. a closed state wherein the pores are closed, with the cap thereby separating the sample volume from the exterior of the reservoir, and
• ii. a fully open state wherein the pores have maximum pore sizes, with the pores thereby exposing the sample volume to the exterior of the reservoir.