A cerebral edema monitoring system based on a new excitation source

Real-time clinical monitoring of cerebral edema (CE) is of great importance and requires continuously improved and optimized measurement hardware.

A new excitation source with higher frequency stability and wide output power range is presented in this work. The proposed excitation source is small in size and easy to integrate. The output power range of excitation signal used is 1.5 ∼ 33 dBm with a reference signal of 9 ∼ 11 dBm, and the phase shift stability of the excitation signal and reference signal reach 10-7 within 20 min.

When normal saline (0.9%, 10 mL, 20 mL, 30 mL, 40 mL, and 50 mL) is injected into a human head phantom model, the magnetic induction phase shift (MIPS) changes from 252.78 ± 7.61 degrees to 252.40 ± 7.77 degrees. The MIPS signal shows a downward trend with increasing volume, indicating that MIPS can reflect the volume change of the measured object. Moreover, a more dramatic trend is visible when the solution volume increases from 0 to 10 mL and from 40 to 50 mL. This occurs where the volume increment is closer to the upper and lower sides of the over-ear sensor, where the magnetic field is strongest.

The phantom simulation experiments illustrate that the proposed MIPS detection system based on a signal source can detect the real-time progress of CE. Advantages of low cost, high precision, and high sensitivity endow this system with excellent application prospects.