Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for detecting temperature variations over selected regions of living tissue is in the form of a low pressure supported pillow structure including a first wall portion of temperature responsive material and a second wall portion of transparent material to permit viewing of the temperature responsive material. The wall portions comprise a fluid chamber including an inflation valve to permit inflating the pillow structure when gaseous fluids are used. The method of using the pillow structure comprises pressing the temperature responsive film into conformity with the tissue, or portion of other object to be scanned, and viewing the temperature response through the clear wall portion. The flexible film is preferably also elastic and carries liquid crystals on its inner surface to give it a temperature responsive characteristic. The elastic characteristics of such a sheet of material enhances its ability to closely conform to contoured objects or tissues while minimizing local unequal pressure regions--and thereby minimizing meaningless artifacts in the scan. Disposing liquid crystals on the inner surface permits viewing the temperature variation response while the device is in contact with the patient. The temperature response is visible through the transparent material wall. Where non-compressible fluids or semi-solids or gels are used to 'inflate' the device, elastic characteristics for a wall portion is preferable. As such inflation media do not compress, an elastic wall portion will stretch to allow the temperature sensitive film to conform to a protrudence extending thereinto.

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First Claim