Development of a Complex Examination Device for QST in Medical Institutions

Abstract

In medical institutions, the manner in which quantitative sensory testing (QST) is conducted is an issue. A complex-type inspection device has been investigated and developed for use in testing for the senses of vibration and temperature. The stimulus probe for testing the sense of temperature is configured by a Peltier element. Using the prototype of the stimulus probe, the differences in how the stimulus was felt between patients suspected of having a sensory impairment and those who are healthy were tested. Upon comparing patients and healthy subjects, it was revealed that the proportion of patients who detected the stimulus correctly was lower than that of healthy subjects at each temperature. To generate the same stimulus as a tuning fork in order to examine the sense of vibration, a sense of vibration stimulus probe that combines an electromagnetic coil and an elastic material has been devised. As a result, the prototype device was able to generate a vibration force nearly equal to the tuning fork. We are currently working on adding a new function to the temperature stimulus probe so as to allow us to measure the temperature of the tested area of subjects.