Cephalometer for Rapid, Safe Measurement of Infant Head

描述（由申请人提供）：提出了一种颅测量装置或头计，它将提供一种安全方便的方法来筛查和确定婴儿斜头畸形的严重程度和性质。目前，儿科医生的初步筛查完全是主观的。第一次定量评估通常由神经外科医生用大卡尺或放射照相方法完成。然而，需要一种廉价的设备，临床医生或家长都可以使用它来快速获得准确和可重复的数据，无论是在筛查还是在治疗过程中。所提出的测量装置提供了一种获得频繁测量的实用方法，允许治疗医师评估治疗的进展和有效性。这将有利于从变形斜头畸形（用头盔等矫形装置治疗）到矢状缝闭（需要手术治疗的先天性颅骨异常）的患者。虽然不是必需的，但提议的设备可以升级为包括传感器，数据采集和计算机，以创建一个完整的系统，其中显示，评估测量，并进行诊断和记录保存任务。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A cranial measurement device, or cephalometer is proposed that will provide a safe and convenient means for screening for and determining the severity and nature of plagiocephaly in an infant. Currently, initial screening by pediatricians is entirely subjective. The first quantitative evaluation is typically done with large calipers by a neurosurgeon or by radiographic means. However, there is need for an inexpensive device that either clinicians or parents can use to rapidly obtain accurate and repeatable data, both for screening and during the course of treatment. The proposed measurement device offers a practical method for obtaining frequent measurements, allowing the treating physician to evaluate the progress and effectiveness of treatment. This will benefit patients with conditions ranging in significance from deformational plagiocephaly, treated with orthotic devices such as helmets, to sagittal synostosis, a congenital skull abnormality requiring surgery. Although not a requirement, the proposed device can be upgraded to include sensors, data acquisition and a computer, in order to create a complete system in which measurements are displayed, evaluated, and diagnostic and record-keeping tasks undertaken. The Phase I will focus on development and test of several cephalometer prototypes. Testing will be done with infant head models that represent both normal head shapes and deformities of interest, in order to evaluate rapidity of measurement, measurement accuracy and repeatability (as compared with calipers and other accepted methods), measurement quality as a function of user's level of training (again, compared with existing methods), and device cost. Testing with infants will be deferred until the Phase II, in which measurements will be taken on many infants with a wide range of head shapes by parents, doctors, and other clinicians.