Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.9718/JBER.2013.34.4.170

Development of Quantitative Lymphedema Screening System to Monitor Change in Skin Elasticity through the Measurement of Indentation Force and Return Time  

Seo, Jong Hyun (Biomedical Engineering Branch, National Cancer Center)
Cho, Chang Nho (Biomedical Engineering Branch, National Cancer Center)
Kim, Sung Chun (Biomedical Engineering Branch, National Cancer Center)
Chung, Seung Hyun (Rehabilitation Clinic, Center for clinical specialty, National Cancer Center)
Koh, Eun Sil (Rehabilitation Medicine, National Medical Center)
Kim, Kwang Gi (Biomedical Engineering Branch, National Cancer Center)
Publication Information
Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research / v.34, no.4, 2013 , pp. 170-176 More about this Journal
Abstract
Lymphedema is a phenomenon in which fluid is accumulated inside tissues due to the damaged lymphatic systems. Lymphedema can cause complications such as lymphangitis, infection, changes in skin texture, fibrosis, and lymphangiosarcoma. In this study, a lymphedema screening system based on the elasticity of the skin is proposed to easily quantify lymphedema. The developed probe consists of touch sensors, a load cell and hall-effect sensors to measure the indentation force on the skin and the return time of the skin. The developed system can be used to estimate the change in the elasticity of the skin to quantify lymphedema. The system was tested with a thyroid phantom and gelatin phantoms of different concentrations and the resulting force and the time were recorded. It was found that the increase in the elasticity leads to a higher indentation force and shorter return time. This shows that the developed system can monitor the change in the skin elasticity by measuring the return time and the indentation force. The feasibility of the system in clinical applications will be evaluated in the future study.
Keywords
edema; lymphedema; skin elasticity; lymphedema screening; lymphedema examination;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 C.H. Yeom, Y.S. Hong, Y.S. Choi, "Lymphedema", Korean journal of hospice and palliative care, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 118-125, 2000.   과학기술학회마을
2 J. Zuther, Lymphedema management: the comprehensive guide for practition-ers, NY, US: TCM Press, 2009.
3 J. Brody, Lymphatic system: disease and disorders, Bonn, Germany: NLN press; 1998.
4 H.M. Jung, M.O. Cho, "Factors Influencing the Emotional State of Patients with Lymphedema", Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, vol. 36, no. 5, pp. 845-852, 2006.   과학기술학회마을   DOI
5 M.O. Cho, H.M. Jung, J.Y. Jun, S.K. Sohn, Y.J. Yoo, "A Study on Self-care among the Lymphedema Patients", Korean Journal of Adult Nursing , vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 383-392, 2003.
6 Korean Breast Cancer Society, The Breast 2nd ed, Seoul, Korea: Ilchokak Press, 2005, pp. 168-188.
7 W. Olszewski, Lymph stasis: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment: NY, US: CRC Press, 1991.
8 L.H. Gerber, "A review of measures of lymphedema", Cancer Society, vol. 83, no. 12, pp. 2803-2804, 1998.   DOI   ScienceOn
9 National Cancer Institute, Lymphedema, Bethesda, MD, 1997.
10 I.G. Lee, "Differential diagnosis and treatment of generalized edema", Journal of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 6-10, 2004.   과학기술학회마을
11 C.W. Tan, F. Coutts, C. Bulley, "Measurement of lower limb volume: Agree-ment between the vertically oriented perometer and a tape measure method", Physiotherapy, vol. 99, no. 3, pp. 247-251, 2013.   DOI   ScienceOn
12 International Society of Lymphology, "The diagnosis and treatment of peripheral lymphedema. Consensus document of the International Society of Lymphology", Lymphology, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 84-91, 2003.
13 H. Mayrovitz, "Assessing lymphedema by tissue indentation force and local tissue water", Lymphology, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 88-98, 2009.
14 M. Zhang, Y. Zheng, A.F. Mak, "Estimating the effective Young's modulus of soft tissues from indentation tests-nonlinear finite element analysis of effects of friction and large deformation", Medical Engineering and Physics, vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 512-517, 1997.   DOI   ScienceOn
15 H. Yegingil, W.Y. Shih, W.H. Shih, "All-electrical indentation shear modulus and elastic modulus measurement using a piezoelectric cantilever with a tip", Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 101, no. 5, pp. 054510-10, 2007.   DOI   ScienceOn
16 J.R. Casley-Smith, Grades of Iymphedema. In: Information about lymphedema for patients, 6th ed, VIC, AUS: Lymphedema Association of Australia Press, 1997.
17 P.S. Mortimer, "The pathophysiology of lymphedema", Cancer Supplement, vol. 83, no. 12, pp. 2798-2802, 1998.   DOI   ScienceOn
18 Y.P. Zheng, A.F. Mak, B. Lue, "Objective assessment of limb tissue elasticity: development of a manual indentation procedure", Journal of rehabilitation research and development, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 71-85, 1999.
19 J.H. Yeon, S.Y. Kim, S.O. Choi, J.D. Seok, "Evaluation of Error Factors in Quantitative Analysis of Lymphoscintigraphy", The Korean journal of nuclear medicine technology, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 76-82, 2011.   과학기술학회마을