Houwen Frans, Stemkens Johannes, van Sonsbeek Don, van Sonsbeek Robby, van der Hulst René, van Langen Herman
Peracutus B.V., Kronenberg, the Netherlands.
Stemkens.Com B.V., Roggel, the Netherlands.
Med Devices (Auckl). 2023 Apr 20;16:101-110. doi: 10.2147/MDER.S401060. eCollection 2023.
High accuracy volume measurements have important implications in different medical and non-medical situations. All methods used to date have challenges to achieve a usable clinical accuracy. Moreover, current methods have limitations to measure segmental volumes. We developed a new device that is able to measure a continuous profile of the cross-sectional areas along an object. Herewith the total volume of an object or any part of it are correspondingly determined.
The Peracutus Aqua Meth (PAM) generates continuous profiles of cross-sectional areas. Water is pumped in or out of a measuring unit at a nearly fixed flow rate and the speed of the water level (/) is measured continuously using a pressure sensor at the bottom. The change of the water level is a measure for the cross-sectional area of an object at any height. Signal processing is required to obtain valuable measurements. Three static objects and an arm of a test object were measured to demonstrate the accuracy and repeatability of the new device.
Cross-sectional areas of a PVC pipe obtained with the PAM and with a caliper were compared. The differences between the two methods were less than 1.3%. Volume measurements of two mannequin arms show standard deviations of 0.37% and 0.34%, respectively, whereas the standard deviation of the volume measurement of a genuine arm was only 1.07%. These figures surpass reported clinical accuracy.
The new device demonstrates that determining the cross-section and its volumes of objects is possible in an accurate, reliable, and objective way. The results show that segmental volume measurements of human limbs are possible. Application in clinical and non-clinical situations seems meaningful.
高精度体积测量在不同的医学和非医学场景中具有重要意义。迄今为止所使用的所有方法在实现可用的临床精度方面都存在挑战。此外，当前方法在测量节段体积方面存在局限性。我们开发了一种新设备，它能够沿着物体测量横截面面积的连续轮廓。据此相应地确定物体或其任何部分的总体积。
Peracutus Aqua Meth（PAM）生成横截面面积的连续轮廓。以近乎固定的流速将水抽入或抽出测量单元，并使用底部的压力传感器连续测量水位（/）的速度。水位的变化是物体在任何高度处横截面面积的一种度量。需要进行信号处理以获得有价值的测量结果。测量了三个静态物体和一个测试物体的手臂，以证明新设备的准确性和可重复性。
比较了用PAM和卡尺获得的PVC管的横截面面积。两种方法之间的差异小于1.3%。两个人体模型手臂的体积测量标准差分别为0.37%和0.34%，而真实手臂体积测量的标准差仅为1.07%。这些数据超过了报道的临床精度。
新设备表明，以准确、可靠和客观的方式确定物体的横截面及其体积是可行的。结果表明，对人体四肢进行节段体积测量是可行的。在临床和非临床场景中的应用似乎具有意义。
