Patent ID: 9615767
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A method for use in diagnosing a presence, absence or degree of oedema in a subject suspected of having the oedema by using impedance measurements performed on the subject, the method being performed using an apparatus including: a first set of electrodes for applying to the subject; a signal generator for applying excitation electrical signals to the subject using the first set of electrodes; a second set of electrodes for applying to the subject; a sensor for measuring measured electrical signals across the second set of electrodes; and, a processing system including at least one of a programmable computer system or a field-programmable gate array, the method including, in the processing system: causing the impedance measurements to be performed by: determining impedance parameter values for the first and second body segments based on the impedance values for the respective body segment, the impedance parameter values including: determining first and second dispersion parameter values for the first and second body segments respectively, each dispersion parameter value being indicative of a dispersion of the impedance values for the respective body segment, each dispersion parameter value being based on a ratio of: determining an indicator using the first and the second dispersion parameter values; and, displaying a representation of the indicator, to thereby allow the presence, the absence or the degree of the oedema in the subject to be diagnosed.