Basic Study for the Quantitative Diagnosis of Edema Focusing on Ultrasound Propagation Time Waveform Information

Abstract

Objective We conducted a research on a simple diagnosis of edema. We aimed to develop a safe and inexpensive method using ultrasound. Because B-mode imaging systems are expensive and specialized, we focused on the ultrasound propagation time waveform information. Experiment Experiments were conducted using a custom-made ultrasonic transducer. Measurements were performed on individuals with and without edema, and the results are discussed in this paper based on propagation time waveform information and frequency analysis. Summary Based on the results, we found three indices with a high possibility of understanding the state of edema. The first index was edema thickness, the second was the standard deviation of edema thickness, and the third was the shape of the frequency spectrum of the ultrasound propagation time waveform. The results indicated that the presence of edema can be easily and quickly determined by determining the thickness of the edema at the measurement point near the ankle (measurement point D) on the front surface of the lower limbs and performing frequency analyses.