Patent · US Expired

Electrical impedance method and apparatus for detecting and diagnosing diseases

US6768921B2 · kind B2 · utility

76Cited by
26References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 28, 2000
Grant dateJul 27, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 22, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2562/046
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for detecting and diagnosing disease states in a living organism by using a plurality of electrical impedance measurements. In particular, the invention provides for an improved electrode array for diagnosing the presence of a disease state in the human breast, and discloses a method of application of the array to the breast that ensures that the multiplicity of impedance measurements obtained from a first body part correspond as precisely and reproducibly as possible to the multiplicity of impedance measurements that are obtained from another, homologous, second body part. A number of diagnostic methods based on homologous electrical difference analysis are disclosed, including the calculation of a number of metrics used to indicate disease states by comparison with pre-established threshold values, and the construction of a number of graphical displays for indicating the location of disease to a body part sector.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.