Chapter 3 - Modeling a Fuzzy System for Diagnosis of Disease Syndromes of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine Combining Positive and Negative Rules

Abstract

Fuzzy logic is a potential mathematical tool for developing intelligent systems in medicine. Vietnamese medicine consists of a combination of modern Western medicine and traditional Vietnamese medicine. The traditional Vietnamese medicine is based on the philosophy of yin and yang, the five elements, energy, blood, and body fluid. “When yin wins a victory, yang will be diseased; when yang wins a victory, yin will be diseased.” To treat a disease, we must balance between yang and yin. The nature of the diagnosis of traditional Vietnamese medicine is normally based on the experiences of traditional medical practitioners and most information related to traditional Vietnamese medicine is fuzzy in nature, such as pale face, red eyes, etc. On the other side, according to the basic principles of the yin-yang philosophy and the five elements theory of traditional Vietnamese medicine, “in yin there is existing yang and in yang there is existing yin.” In medical practice, in some cases, there are some symptoms that confirm any disease syndrome (they form positive rules) and some other symptoms that exclude the same disease syndrome (they form negative rules). In order to get a more accurate diagnosis, one must combine these positive and negative rules.