Non-Invasive Pneumothorax Detector

气胸虽然容易治疗，但如果在任何早期阶段没有发现，可能会危及生命。目前用于诊断气胸的方法（胸部X光、胸部CT扫描）对于急救队是不可能的，并且对于重症监护患者的长期监测是不实用的。因此，便宜、准确和非侵入性的便携式手持气胸检测器将是非常有吸引力的。在第一阶段，我们研究了这种设备的可行性，基于微功率脉冲雷达（MIR）技术。在动物研究（猪模型）中，我们确定MIR器械可清楚检测到小至30 ml的气胸。该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，我们将获取对人类受试者的扫描，以确认MIR测量与胸部X射线的相关性，这是目前的护理标准。在最终确定器件参数后，我们将继续进行器件开发、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探测器。拟议的商业应用：手持式便宜的气胸将在商业上吸引紧急医疗人员和创伤临床医生。此外，它将是有用的病人监护重症监护病房。这些应用的综合市场非常大。随着进一步的发展，该设备可以被调谐以检测其他创伤状况，例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.