Method and Apparatus for Indicating the Emergence of an Ulcer

摘要

A method of monitoring a patient's foot forms a thermogram of the sole of at least one foot of the patient, and determines whether the thermogram presents at least one of a plurality of prescribed patterns. The method also compares the thermogram against a prior thermogram of the same foot, and produces output information indicating the emergence of an ulcer on a given portion on the at least one foot as a function of 1) whether the thermogram is determined to present the at least one pattern, and 2) the comparison with the prior thermogram, which shows non-ulcerated tissue at the given location.

主权项

1. A method of determining an emergence of a pre-ulcer or progression of a known pre-ulcer on at least one foot of a patient, the method comprising:
providing one or more processors; providing an open platform for receiving at least one foot, the open platform having a plurality of temperature sensors; generating, using the plurality of temperature sensors, a first set of temperature data values after receipt of the at last one foot, the first set of temperature data values having a first orientation; generating, using the plurality of temperature sensors, a second set of temperature data values after receipt of the at last one foot, the second set of temperature data values having a second orientation; controlling at least one of the one or more processors to orient the first and second sets of temperature data values to a standard coordinate system; determining, by at least one of the one or more processors after controlling, whether in the standard coordinate system the first and second sets of temperature data values present at least one of a plurality of prescribed patterns; and producing, by at least one of the one or more processors, output information indicating a result of the determination of whether the first and second sets of temperature data values present at least one of the plurality of prescribed patterns.