Method of and apparatus for the detector of neoplasms and other morphologic changes in mucous membrane samples

Claim 2

In an electrically instrumented method of diagnosing the presence of a neoplast in a mucous membrane sample wherein the electrical impedance of the sample has resistive and capacitive components and wherein the relative values of said components are indicative of the presence or absence of said neoplast, the steps of associating the sample with the terminals of a series circuit including in succession a grounded, amplitude-modulated high-frequency generator and first and second equal-valued resistors wherein the impedance of the generator and the resistance of both resistors are low relative to the impedance of the sample, said association being made by connecting a test spot on the sample to the terminal of the second resistor remote from the junction of the first and second resistors and by connecting the bulk of the sample to the grounded terminal of the generator, simultaneously measuring the amplitudes of the potentials of the test spot and of the junction of the first and second resistors with respect to a reference value established at the junction of the generator and the first resistor, and computing from the measured values and from the reference value the resistive and capacitive portions of the potential of the test spot.

Claim 3

A method as defined in claim 1, in which the connecting steps are accomplished with a relatively small-area contact at the test spot and a relatively large-area contact at the sample bulk.

Claim 4

A method as defined in claim 1, in which the repetition frequency of the generator is in the order of 100,000 Hz.

Claim 5

In an apparatus for the automatic measurement of values proportional to the impedance of a mucous membrane sample, a series circuit comprising in succession a grounded, amplitude-modulated high-frequency generator and first and second equal-valued resistors, the total impedance of the series circuit being low relative to that of the sample, a relatively small-area contact associated with the terminal of the second resistor remote from the first resistor, a relatively large-area contact associated with the grounded terminal of the generator, the sample adapted to be connected between the relatively small-area contact and the relatively large-area contact, a first comparator having a first input connected to a first junction of the generator and the first resistor and a second input connected to a reference voltage, a clock voltage generator having a triggering input connected to the output of the first comparator, second and third comparators individually having first inputs connected to a second junction of the first and second resistors and a third junction of the second resistor and the relatively small-area contact, respectively, first and second means for recording the values of voltages at the second and third junctions, first and second gate means having outputs individually connected to the inputs of the first and second recording means, respectively, the first and second gate means further having first inputs individually connected to the outputs of the second and third comparators, respectively, and second inputs connected to the output of the clock voltage generator, and feedback means for individually coupling the outputs of the first and second recording means to second inputs of the second and third comparators, respectively.

Claim 6

In an apparatus for the automatic measurement of values proportional to the impedance of a mucous membrane sample, a series circuit comprising in succession a grounded, amplitude-modulated high-frequency generator and first and second equal-valued resistors, the total impedance of the series circuit being low relative to that of the sample, a relatively small-area contact associated with the terminal of the second resistor remote from the first resistor, a relatively large-area contact associated with the grounded terminal of the generator, the sample adapted to be connected between the relatively small-area contact and the relatively large-area contact, a first comparator having a first input connected to a first junction of the generator and the first resistor and a second input connected to a reference voltage, a clock voltage generator having a triggering input connected to the output of the first comparator, second and third comparators individually having first inputs connected to a second junction of the first and second resistors and a third junction of the second resistor and the relatively small-area contact, respectively, first and second means for recording the values of voltages at the second and third junctions, first and second gate means having outputs individually connected to the inputs of the first and second recording means, respectively, the first and second gate means further having first inputs individually connected to the outputs of the second and third comparators, respectively, and second inputs connected to the output of the clock voltage generator, and feedback means for individually coupling the outputs of the first and second recording means to second inputs of the second and third comparators, respectively.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising analog computing means responsive to the reference voltage and to the output voltages of the first and second recording means for deriving the real and imaginary parts of the output voltage at the third junction.