Apparatus for measuring the size of the palpable surface of the prostate.

摘要

A medical device (10) for use by a physician for measuring the size of the palpable surface of a prostate (11) during a digital rectal examination, comprising means index (24) finger to connect the end of the index finger of the physician , membrane means (22) adapted to overlie the index medical finger means and said finger attached (24) to form a closed volume near the prostate (11), transducer means movement associated with said means of finger ( 24) for generating displacement signals during palpation of the prostate (11) and processing means (15) for converting displacement signals from said transducer means of movement (22) data representing the size of the palpable surface of the prostate (11), characterized in that said means of finger (24) includes means (30) connectable to a source (34) of air pressure for directing air under pressure toward dich os membrane means (22) to stabilize the position of the membrane means (22) near the prostate (11) to enable said means index (24) finger to move relative to means stabilized membrane (22) ; and said transducer moving means includes first means for forming a reference pattern (35) and second means (31, 26, 27, 32) for generating displacement signals during the second half relative movement of said relative to said first means for palpation, one of said first and second means on said membrane means (22) and the other of said first and second means on said media index finger (24), whereby the transducers moving means are arranged to generate said displacement signals relative to stabilized membrane means (22) during palpation of the prostate (11).