Non-Invasive Pneumothorax Detector

气胸虽然很容易治疗，但如果不及早发现，可能会危及生命。目前诊断气胸的方法（胸部x光片、胸部CT扫描）不适用于急救小组，也不适用于重症监护患者的长期监测。因此，一种廉价、准确、无创的便携式气胸检测器将非常有吸引力。在第一阶段，我们研究了这种基于微功率脉冲雷达（MIR）技术的装置的可行性。在动物研究（猪模型）中，我们确定MIR装置可以清楚地检测到小至30ml的气胸。这种检测水平对于可行性很重要，因为它低于临床意义的阈值。在第二阶段，我们建议进一步优化器件的MIR特性和信号算法。然后，我们将获得人体受试者的扫描，以确认MIR测量与胸部x光片的相关性，这是目前的标准护理。在确定设备参数后，我们将继续进行设备开发、小型化和封装。这项研究将导致一个设计准备商业化，满足需要的非侵入性气胸检测器。建议的商业应用：手持式廉价气胸对急诊医务人员和创伤临床医生具有商业吸引力。此外，它对重症监护病房的病人监测也很有用。这些应用程序的综合市场非常大。随着进一步的发展，该设备可能可用于检测其他创伤情况，如血肿和出血性中风。

Pneumothorax, while easily treatable, can become life threatening if not detected at any early stage. Current methods for diagnosing pneumothorax (chest x-ray, chest CT scan) are not possible for emergency squads and not practical for long-term monitoring of critical care patients. A portable handheld pneumothorax detector that is inexpensive, accurate, and non-invasive therefore would be very attractive. In Phase I, we investigated the feasibility of such a device, based on micropower impulse radar (MIR) technology. In animal studies (swine model), we are determined that pneumothorax as small as 30 ml were clearly detectable by the MIR device. This level of detection is important for the feasibility, since it is below the threshold of clinical significance. In Phase II, we propose to further optimize the MIR characteristics of the device and the signal algorithms. We will then acquire scans on human subjects to confirm the correlation of the MIR measure to the chest x-ray, which is the present standard of care. After finalizing the device parameters, we will continue with device development, miniaturization, and packaging. This research will result in a design ready for commercialization that fulfills the need for a non- invasive pneumothorax detector. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: A handheld inexpensive pneumothorax will be commercially attractive to emergency medical personnel and trauma clinicians. Also, it would be useful for patient monitoring in critical care units. The combined market for these applications if very large. With further development, the device may be tunable to detect other trauma conditions, such as hemotoma and hemorrhagic stroke.