Method For Using Electrophysiological Analysis System

Abstract

The invention provides an electrophysiological analysis system, in particular for detecting pathological states. This system comprises: electrodes intended to be placed in different regions of the body that are well away from each other; an adjustable DC voltage source for generating successive DC voltage pulses varying in magnitude from one pulse to another, the duration of the pulses being equal to or greater than about 0.2 seconds; a switching circuit for selectively connecting a pair of active electrodes to the voltage source and for connecting at least one other high-impedance electrode; and a measurement circuit for recording data representative of the current in the active electrodes and potentials on at least certain high-impedance connected electrodes in response to the application of said pulses. The range of voltages covered causes, from one pulse to another, the appearance or disappearance of electrochemical phenomena in the vicinity of the active electrodes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for using a medical device on a patient, the method comprising:
 (a) contacting a left hand of the patient against a rigid left hand-electrode;   (b) contacting a right hand of the patient against a rigid right hand-electrode;   (c) inputting age data of the patient into a computer connected to the electrodes;   (d) inputting weight data of the patient into the computer;   (e) sending direct current voltage to at least one of the electrodes;   (f) causing a change of an electrochemical phenomena in a vicinity of at least one of the electrodes in response to step (e);   (g) sending measuring signals from at least one of the electrodes to the computer; and   (h) using the computer to detect if the patient has a disease, based at least in part, on step (g).   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 contacting a left foot of the patient against a rigid left foot-electrode;   contacting a right foot of the patient against a right foot-electrode;   sending direct current voltage to at least one of the foot-electrodes;   causing a change of an electrochemical phenomena in a vicinity of at least one of the foot-electrodes;   sending measuring signals from at least one of the foot-electrodes to the computer; and   the computer using the signals from the foot-electrodes, the signals from the hand-electrodes, the age data and the weight data to detect if the patient has the disease.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining if the disease is present in the patient by the computer using pH or chloride variation information as measured by at least one of the electrodes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computer showing diagnostic data on a display indicating if the disease, which is cystic fibrosis, is detected. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computer showing diagnostic data on a display indicating if the disease, which is diabetes, is detected. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reversing polarity of the electrodes which are sized to be in contact with the entire extent of a surface of the patient's hands. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computer using the inputted age and weight data as part of a reconciliation the computer makes with stored reference data, and showing a diagnosis of the disease by the computer in a radar graph on a display screen. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computer using the inputted age and weight data as part of a reconciliation the computer makes with stored reference data, and showing a diagnosis of the disease by the computer in a Cartesian coordinate x-y graph on a display screen. 
     
     
         9 . A method for using a medical device on a patient, the method comprising:
 (a) contacting a left foot of the patient against a rigid left foot-electrode;   (b) contacting a right foot of the patient against a rigid right foot-electrode;   (c) inputting age data of the patient into a computer connected to the electrodes;   (d) inputting weight data of the patient into the computer;   (e) sending direct current to at least one of the electrodes as controlled by the computer;   (f) causing the appearance or disappearance of an electrochemical phenomena in a vicinity of at least one of the electrodes;   (g) sending data from at least one of the electrodes to the computer; and   (h) using the computer to determine if the patient has a disease, based at least in part, on the age, weight and electrode data.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 contacting a left hand of the patient against a rigid left hand-electrode;   contacting a right hand of the patient against a right hand-electrode;   sending direct current to at least one of the hand-electrodes;   causing the appearance or disappearance of the electrochemical phenomena in a vicinity of at least one of the hand-electrodes; and   sending data from at least one of the hand-electrodes to the computer which is also used by the computer to determine if the patient has the disease.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining if the disease is present in the patient by the computer using pH or chloride variation information as measured by at least one of the electrodes. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the computer showing diagnostic data on a display indicating if the disease, which is cystic fibrosis, is detected. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the computer showing diagnostic data on a display indicating if the disease, which is diabetes, is detected. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising reversing polarity of the electrodes which are sized to be in contact with the entire extent of a surface of the patient's feet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the computer using the inputted age and weight data as part of a reconciliation the computer makes with stored reference data, and showing a diagnosis of the disease by the computer in a radar graph on a display screen. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the computer using the inputted age and weight data as part of a reconciliation the computer makes with stored reference data, and showing a diagnosis of the disease by the computer in a Cartesian coordinate x-y graph on a display screen. 
     
     
         17 . A method for using a medical device on a patient, the method comprising:
 (a) directly contacting rigid electrodes against entire facing surfaces of hands and feet of the patient;   (b) sending direct current voltage to at least one of the electrodes such that at least one is active and at least another is passive;   (c) receiving actual patient data comprising measurements revealing electrochemical phenomena in a vicinity of the electrodes;   (d) accessing stored reference data comprising measurements revealing electrochemical phenomena, which were obtained under the same conditions, on others identified as suffering or not suffering from a disorder or disease; and   (e) using the actual data and the reference data to identify if the patient has the disorder or disease.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising producing waves of an adjustable voltage within the direct current voltage sent to at least one of the electrodes, a duration of each of the waves being 0.2-5 seconds, and the direct current voltage sent to at least one of the electrodes being adjusted within a range of 1-4 volts. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising automatically calibrating an anode/cathode pair of the electrodes when they are reversed by an electrical switch. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a computer, that uses the data to identify if the patient has the disorder or disease, using a sampling frequency between 100 and 10,000 Hz for the actual measurements. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising using a computer connected to the electrodes to detect pathological predispositions, the computer using information indicative of the disorder or the disease being related to a concentration of chloride anions or to a concentration of hydrogen cations, and the computer examining mathematical curves reflecting an evolution of voltages carried out for pairs of the electrodes. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising using a computer to carry out a mapping operation to calculate offset voltages used to correct the measurements taken when voltage waves are applied. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the electrodes include nickel material. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the electrodes include silver material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining if the disorder or disease is present in the patient using pH or chloride variation information as measured by at least one of the electrodes. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a computer showing diagnostic data on a display indicating if the disease, which is cystic fibrosis, is detected. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a computer showing diagnostic data on a display indicating if the disease, which is diabetes, is detected. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising using a computer to reverse polarity of the electrodes. 
     
     
         29 . A method for using a medical device on a patient, the method comprising:
 (a) contacting electrodes against hands and feet of the patient;   (b) automatically calibrating an anode/cathode pair of the electrodes when they are electrically reversed by an electrical switch;   (c) using stored reference data comprising measurements revealing electrochemical phenomena, which were obtained under the same conditions, on others identified as having a disorder or disease; and   (d) using actual data detected from the electrodes and the reference data, in a computer connected to the electrodes, to determine if the patient has the disorder or disease.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising producing waves of an adjustable direct current voltage sent to at least one of the electrodes, a duration of each of the waves being 0.2-5 seconds, and the voltage being adjusted by the computer within a range of 1-4 volts. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the computer using a sampling frequency between 100 and 10,000 Hz for the actual measurements. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising using the computer to detect pathological predispositions, the computer using information indicative of the disorder or the disease being related to a concentration of chloride anions or to a concentration of hydrogen cations, and the computer examining mathematical curves reflecting an evolution of voltages carried out for pairs of the electrodes. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising carrying out a mapping operation to calculate offset voltages used to correct measurements taken when voltage waves are applied. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising determining if the disorder or disease is present in the patient by the computer using pH or chloride variation information as measured by at least one of the electrodes. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the computer showing diagnostic data on a display indicating if the disease, which is cystic fibrosis, is detected. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the computer showing diagnostic data on a display indicating if the disease, which is diabetes, is detected. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising reversing polarity of the electrodes which are sized to be in contact with an entire extent of a surface of the patient's hands and feet. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising sending 1-4 volts of direct current to at least one of the electrodes, the electrodes being rigid.