Claims
- 1. A detection patch for use in early detection of breast abnormalities comprising:
- (a) a flexible heat-conductive web having opposite surfaces;
- (b) an array of spaced-apart temperature indicators lying adjacent to each other on one surface of said heat-conductive web, each of said temperature indicators comprising a dye or a pigment and a temperature-sensitive substance having a melting point precisely different from the melting point of the temperature-sensitive substance in the adjacent indicator, wherein each of said indicators displays a permanent change in color upon melting of the temperature-sensitive substance therein and co-action with said dye or pigment;
- (c) a transparent flexible layer overlying said heat-conductive web and sealed thereto on said one surface; and
- (d) a backing web on the other surface of said heat-conductive web, said backing web being composed of a substantial thickness of a flexible compressible material adapted to effect conformal contiguous contact between the indicator-bearing surface of said heat-conductive web and the breast skin when said patch is applied in the breast-receiving cup of a brassiere.
- 2. A detection patch as in claim 1 wherein said heat-conductive web is made of aluminum foil.
- 3. A detection patch as in claim 2 wherein each of said temperature-sensitive substances is a crystalline organic chemical.
- 4. A detection patch as in claim 1 wherein each of said temperature-sensitive substances is a crystalline organic chemical.
- 5. A device for the early detection of physiological abnormalities by comparison of the skin temperature of an area on one side of the body with that of a corresponding area on the opposite side thereof, said device comprising temperature indicating means for placement on the skin conformably to each of the two areas to be compared and having, conformably to each of said areas, an array of skin temperature indicators which melt at predetermined temperatures to display a change in appearance, selected indicators of each array having melting temperatures different from those of the other indicators of the array but identical with corresponding indicators of the other array, whereby the temperature of the skin under the arrays can be compared, and a backing web composed of a substantial thickness of a flexible compressible material adapted to effect conformal contiguous contact between bearing surface of said array and the skin.
- 6. A device for the early detection of breast cancer having a heat-conductive web divided into a plurality of pie-shaped sectors so disposed and of total area to contact simultaneously opposite side areas of the breast, each sector having a surface and an array of temperature indicators on said surface of which each indicator senses a specific temperature different from that sensed by adjacent indicators in the array through a predetermined graded temperature range, the ranges of different temperature sensed by the several sectors being substantially identical so that the same specific temperature may be sensed simultaneously at different locations on a single breast for ease in comparing temperatures at mirror image locations on both breasts when a duplicate of the said detector has been applied to the other breast, and a backing web composed of a substantial thickness of a flexible compressible material to effect conformal contiguous contact between the indicator-bearing surface of said heat-conductive web and the breast skin when said device is applied in the breast-receiving cup of a brassiere.
- 7. The device of claim 6 in which the web is in pie-shaped sectors of a disc of about 5 inches to about 7 inches in diameter.
- 8. The device of claim 6 or 7 in which the heat-conductive web is metal foil and the temperature indicators, adapted to be interposed between the foil and the breast, comprise a dye or pigment and a temperature-sensitive substance having a relatively precise melting point approximately 0.5.degree. F. different from the melting point of the temperature-sensitive substance in an adjacent indicator and wherein each indicator displays a change in color upon melting of said temperature-sensitive substance.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 103,587, filed 12-14-79, now abandoned, which was a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 908,154 filed 5-22-78 issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,058 granted Feb. 26, 1980 and reissued Oct. 8, 1985 as U.S. Pat. No. 32,000.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
Gershon-Cohen et al.; "Cancer Detection" Article; Cancer; 12-1969, pp. 1226-1230. |
Gershon-Cohen et al.; "Advances in Thermography and Mammography"; Annals. N.Y. Academy of Sciences; 1964, pp. 283-300. |
Brueschke et al.; "Relative Densitometric Analysis of Thermograms"; Annals-N.Y. Academy of Sciences; 1964, pp. 82-89. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
103587 |
Dec 1979 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
908154 |
May 1978 |
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