SEM scanner sensing apparatus, system and methodology for early detection of ulcers

A scanner for sensing sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) from a location external to a patient's skin, comprising:

• an array of bipolar radiofrequency (RF) sensors embedded on a flexible substrate;
• wherein each of the bipolar RF sensors in said array comprises a first electrode embedded on a first side of the flexible substrate and a second electrode embedded on a second side of the flexible substrate;
• and
• a conformal pressure pad disposed adjacent to said second side of the flexible substrate;
• wherein the conformal pressure pad is configured to support the flexible substrate while allowing the flexible substrate to conform to a non-planar sensing surface of the patient's skin;
• wherein said sensor array of bipolar RF sensors is configured to emit and receive RF energy to interrogate into the derma of the patient's skin;
• wherein said first electrode comprises an annular ring electrode defined by an inner diameter and an outer diameter;
• wherein said second electrode comprises a circular electrode defined by an outer diameter that is smaller than said inner diameter of the first electrode;
• wherein said second electrode is concentric with said first electrode;
• wherein each of the bipolar RF sensors in the array of bipolar RF sensors is individually wired to independently interrogate into the derma of the patient's skin and measure an equivalent sub-epidermal capacitance corresponding to the SEM;
• and
• wherein the array of bipolar RF sensors are dispersed across the flexible substrate to define a scanning area of the sensing surface of the patient's skin without using a scanning motion.

A method for measuring the formation of pressure ulcers at a target location of a patient's skin, comprising:

• positioning a flexible substrate adjacent the target location of the patient's skin;
• the flexible substrate comprising an array of bipolar radiofrequency (RF) sensors;
• conforming the flexible substrate to the patient's skin at the target location;
• exciting the array of bipolar RF sensors to emit RF energy into the patient's skin derma;
• and
• measuring the sub-epidermal capacitance at the target location as an indicator of pressure ulcers at the target location;
• wherein said sub-epidermal capacitance corresponds to the sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) of the target location;
• wherein the array of bipolar RF sensors are individually controlled to independently excite the one or more bipolar RF sensors;
• and
• wherein the array of bipolar RF sensors are dispersed across the flexible substrate to define a scanning area of the surface of the patient's skin derma without using a scanning motion.