Artículos

 

Remote Monitoring of Internal Bleeding Based on Magnetic Induction and Cellular Phone Technology: A Potential Application in Poor Regions in México

 

Monitoreo remoto de hemorragias internas basado en inducción magnética y tecnología de telefonía celular: una potencial aplicación en regiones pobres de México

 

César A González¹, Gaddi Blumrosen² y Boris Rubinsky³

 

¹ University of the Mexican Army/EMGS–Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, DF, México. National Polytechnic Institute /Superior School of Medicine–Section of Research and Graduate, DF, México. E–mail: c.cesar.gonzalez@gmail.com

² Center for Bioengineering in the Service of Humanity and Society. School of Computer Science and Engineering, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel. E–mail: gaddi.b@gmail.com

³ Department of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. E–mail: rubinsky@me.berkeley.edu

 

Article received on January 26, 2009.
Accepted on 12 January, 2010.

 

Abstract

The goal of this study is to introduce the theoretical foundation of a new concept in medical technology that is centered on the cellular phone. The concept was conceived with the needs of medically underserved regions of Mexico in mind. The application introduced here deals with undetected intraperitoneal bleeding that is responsible for the death of one of four women who die at childbirths and that of 20% of accident trauma deaths; even brain trauma. The concept is made possible by the wide availability of cellular phone technology in Mexico, even in the poorest of regions, where other infrastructure is missing. The biophysical principles of the technology are based on the observation that electromagnetic properties of tissue change with disease and internal bleeding. We introduce a new paradigm of medical diagnostic in which inexpensive electromagnetic coils at the patient site are used to take bulk data from a magnetic field that is generated through the tissue or organ of interest. Instead of processing the data with a computer at the remote site the raw data is send via a cellular phone to a central facility that processes the raw data for the entire country or region. The diagnostic is returned in real time to the cellular phone at the patient site, thereby substantially reducing the cost of the devices and with good quality of the diagnostics. Components and functionality required to support the remote monitoring concept by magnetic fields and cell phone technology are presented. The study includes criteria for data processing at the remote site and gives a linear optimal solution to the problem. More advanced data processing methods and calibration of the system will be developed in future. While designed with the needs of Mexico in mind, this concept could become valuable worldwide.

Keywords: Phase Shift, Magnetic Induction, Spectroscopy, Cell Phone, Internal Bleeding.

 

Resumen

El objetivo de este estudio es introducir el fundamento teórico de un nuevo concepto en tecnología médica basado en telefonía celular. El concepto fue concebido teniendo en mente las necesidades médicas de las regiones marginadas de México y confronta el problema clínico que representan las hemorragias internas no detectadas a tiempo, tal problema es responsable de la muerte de una de cada cuatro mujeres que mueren durante el trabajo de parto así como del 20% de muertes por accidentes traumáticos; incluyendo trauma craneoencefálico. El concepto planteado es posible debido a la amplia disponibilidad de tecnología de telefonía celular en México, la cual incluye a las regiones más pobres en donde se carece de otro tipo de infraestructura básica. El principio biofísico de la tecnología está basado en la observación de los cambios en las propiedades electromagnéticas de tejido enfermo y hemorragias internas. Introducimos un nuevo paradigma de diagnóstico médico en el que bobinas electromagnéticas de bajo costo son empleadas en el sitio del paciente para adquirir datos volumétricos de un campo magnético que es generado a través del tejido u órgano de interés. En lugar de procesar los datos con una computadora en el sitio remoto, los datos crudos son enviados vía un teléfono celular a una estación central que procesa los datos crudos para toda una región o inclusive el país entero. El diagnóstico se envía en tiempo real al teléfono celular en el lugar del paciente, reduciendo sustancialmente el costo de los dispositivos e incrementando la calidad de los diagnósticos. Se presentan los componentes y funcionalidad requerida para soportar el concepto de monitoreo a distancia mediante campos magnéticos y tecnología de telefonía celular. El estudio incluye criterios para el procesamiento de datos en el sitio remoto y proporciona una solución lineal óptima del problema. Métodos más avanzados de procesamiento de los datos, así como una calibración del sistema aún representan trabajos a futuro. Si bien el concepto aquí presentado fue diseñado con las necesidades de México en mente, este podría convertirse valioso en todo el mundo.

Palabras clave: Corrimiento de fase, Inducción Magnética, Espectroscopía, Teléfono Celular, Hemorragía Interna.

 

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