ULTRASONIC DETECTION OF MIDDLE EAR EFFUSION

描述（由申请人提供）：误诊的中耳炎（OM）是儿童过度使用抗生素的主要原因。不必要的抗生素使用的令人担忧的后果是导致OM的细菌菌株对抗生素的耐药性增加。目前可用的中耳积液的非侵入性检测方法的准确性是不令人满意的，特别是当测试是由初级卫生保健提供者。在第一阶段，我们证明了无创检测中耳积液的可行性的基础上，从鼓膜和中耳腔反射的超声回波的分析。我们实现了统计学显着（P = 0.004）的相关性，我们的超声方法和鼓膜切开术的积液检测和浆液和粘液状态的流体之间的区分。在第二阶段，我们提出了一个完善的超声探头和分析软件的发展，允许非侵入性检测中耳积液和估计的粘度的流体占领中耳。后一种特征对于任何现有的非侵入性检测方法都是不可用的。 我们将开发一种微型超声弯曲阵列换能器，它将被纳入耳塞（探头）。探头将允许从耳道和中耳腔快速采集超声扫描。将在本项目中开发的指定软件将提取扫描的诊断重要特征，并以易于解释的格式显示结果。我们提出的设备将允许在普通医疗办公室环境中对清醒的儿科患者进行诊断测试，并将为中耳积液的准确诊断提供信息。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Misdiagnosed otitis media (OM) is a leading cause of overmedication with antibiotics in children. The alarming consequence of unnecessary antibiotic use is increasing resistance to antibiotics among bacterial strains responsible for OM. The accuracy of currently available noninvasive detection methods of middle ear effusion is not satisfactory, especially when the test is performed by primary health care providers. In Phase I we demonstrated the feasibility of noninvasive detection of middle ear effusion based on the analysis of ultrasonic echoes reflected from the tympanic membrane and the middle ear cavity. We achieved a statistically significant (P = 0.004) correlation between our ultrasonic method and myringotomy in the detection of the effusion and in differentiation between serous and mucoid states of the fluid. In Phase II, we propose development of a refined ultrasonic probe and analysis software to allow noninvasive detection of middle ear effusion and the estimation of the viscosity of the fluid occupying the middle ear. This latter feature is not available with any existing noninvasive detection method. We will develop a miniature ultrasonic curved array transducer, which will be incorporated into an earplug (probe). The probe will allow for fast acquisition of ultrasonic scans from the ear canal and middle ear cavity. Designated software, which will be developed in this project, will extract diagnostically significant features of the scan and it will display the result in easy for interpretation format. The device we propose will allow diagnostic testing on conscious pediatric patients in the average medical office setting and will provide information for accurate diagnosis of middle ear effusion.