Methods And Systems For Fitting Compression Garments From Digital Imagery

Abstract

The present disclosure includes methods and systems to generate compression garment fit information from 3D images taken of one or more body parts of a patient indicated for application of compression therapy. The body parts can include legs or arms or other areas. Three-dimensional (“3D”) imaging information can be used to derive compression garment fit information, where the shape description information includes for each body part: tissue compressibility information, outer circumference information, and length information. Comparisons between corresponding body parts on a person can also be conducted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) A compression garment customized for a person in need of compression therapy made by the method, comprising:
 a) providing compression garment fit information for a person in need of compression therapy, wherein the compression garment fit information is generated by:
 i) selecting a first body part on the person in need of compression therapy; 
 ii) acquiring 3D images of the first body part; and 
 iii) processing the 3D images by a computing device, to derive the compression garment fit information, wherein the compression garment fit information is generated from:
 (1) body part length information; 
 (2) outer circumference information for a plurality of body part locations, the outer circumference information comprising body part outer circumferences for corresponding body part locations; and 
 (3) tensioned circumference information for each of the plurality of body part locations, the tensioned circumference information comprising body part tensioned circumferences for corresponding body part locations, wherein each of the body part tensioned circumference is smaller than the body part outer circumference at the same corresponding body part location; and 
 
   b) fabricating a compression garment from the compression garment fit information, thereby generating the compression garment customized for the person in need of compression therapy.   
     
     
         2 ) The compression garment of  claim 1 , wherein the tensioned circumference information for each of the plurality of body part locations is derived from tissue compressibility information generated at each of the plurality of body part locations. 
     
     
         3 ) The compression garment of  claim 2 , wherein the tissue compressibility information is obtained by:
 a) generating body part outer circumferences for at least two adjacent body part locations; and   b) generating adjacent body part outer circumference ratio information for each of the at least two adjacent body part locations.   
     
     
         4 ) The compression garment of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of compression values, wherein the compression garment is fabricated with a compression value at a distal end of the compression garment that is less than a compression value at a location at a proximal end of the compression garment. 
     
     
         5 ) The compression garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first body part is a leg, and a plurality of cross-sectional views are generated at corresponding body part locations, the plurality of cross-sectional views comprising at least two cross-sectional views of the leg, and:
 a) at least one cross-sectional view of the plurality of cross-sectional views is generated at:
 i) a location proximate to a heel bottom and a location proximate to an ankle; or 
 ii) the location proximate to the ankle; and 
   b) at least one cross-sectional view of the plurality of cross-sectional views is generated at:
 i) a location proximate to ½ of a distance from the location proximate to the heel bottom and a location proximate to a popliteal region; 
 ii) a location proximate to ¾ of a distance from the location proximate to the ankle and the location proximate to the popliteal region; 
 iii) a location proximate to a bottom of a knee; 
 iv) the location proximate to the popliteal region; 
 v) a location proximate to ½ of a distance from the location proximate to the popliteal region and a location proximate to a gluteal region; or 
 vi) the location proximate to the gluteal region. 
   
     
     
         6 ) The compression garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first body part is an arm, and a plurality of cross-sectional views are generated at corresponding body part locations, the plurality of cross-sectional views comprising at least two cross-sectional views of the arm, and:
 a) at least one cross-sectional view of the plurality of cross-sectional views is generated at:
 i) a location proximate to a palm at a base of a thumb; or 
 ii) a location proximate to a wrist region; and 
   b) at least one cross-sectional view of the plurality of cross-sectional views is generated at:
 i) a location proximate to ½ of a distance from the location proximate to the wrist region and a location proximate to an elbow region; 
 ii) the location proximate to the elbow region; 
 iii) a location proximate to ½ of a distance from the location proximate to the elbow region and a location proximate to an armpit region; or 
 iv) the location proximate to the armpit region. 
   
     
     
         7 ) The compression garment of  claim 1 , wherein the compression garment is configured as a leg sleeve fabricated from the compression garment fit information, the leg sleeve incorporating at least one compression value for application of from 20 to 50 mm Hg to the patient's leg when the garment is worn by the patient. 
     
     
         8 ) The compression garment of  claim 1 , wherein the compression garment is configured as an arm sleeve fabricated from the compression garment fit information, the arm sleeve incorporating at least one compression value for application of from 20 to 50 mm Hg to the patient's arm when the garment is worn by the patient. 
     
     
         9 ) The compression garment of  claim 1 , wherein the compression garment fit information incorporates information about one or more of the patient's age, gender, or disease status. 
     
     
         10 ) A method of making a compression garment customized for a person in need of compression therapy comprising:
 a) generating compression garment fit information for a person in need of compression therapy, wherein the compression garment fit information is generated by:
 i) selecting a first body part on the person in need of compression therapy; 
 ii) acquiring 3D images of the first body part; and 
 iii) processing the 3D images by a computing device, wherein the processing of the 3D images comprises deriving the compression garment fit information, wherein the compression garment fit information is generated from:
 (1) body part length information; 
 (2) outer circumference information for each of a plurality of body part locations, the outer circumference information comprising body part outer circumferences for corresponding body part locations; and 
 (3) tensioned circumference information generated at each of the plurality of body part locations, the tensioned circumference information comprising body part tensioned circumferences for corresponding body part locations, wherein each of the body part tensioned circumference is smaller than the body part outer circumference at the same corresponding body part location; and 
 
   b) fabricating a compression garment from the compression garment fit information, thereby generating the compression garment customized for the person in need of compression therapy.   
     
     
         11 ) The compression garment of  claim 10 , wherein the tensioned circumference information for each of the plurality of body part locations is derived from tissue compressibility information generated at each of the plurality of body part locations. 
     
     
         12 ) The method of  claim 11 , wherein the tissue compressibility information is obtained by:
 a) generating body part outer circumferences for at least two adjacent body part locations; and   b) generating adjacent body part outer circumference ratios for each of the at least two adjacent body part locations.   
     
     
         13 ) The method of  claim 10 , wherein the compression garment comprises a plurality of compression values, and wherein the compression garment is fabricated with a compression value at a distal end of the compression garment that is less than a compression value at a location at a proximal end of the compression garment. 
     
     
         14 ) The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first body part is a leg, and a plurality of cross-sectional views are generated at corresponding body part locations, the plurality of cross-sectional views comprising at least two cross-sectional views of the leg, and:
 a) at least one cross-sectional view of the plurality of cross-sectional views is generated at:
 i) a location proximate to a heel bottom and a location proximate to an ankle; or 
 ii) the location proximate to the ankle; and 
   b) at least one cross-sectional view of the plurality of cross-sectional views is generated at:
 i) a location proximate to ½ of a distance from the location proximate to the heel bottom and a location proximate to a popliteal region; 
 ii) a location proximate to ¾ of a distance from the location proximate to the ankle and the location proximate to the popliteal region; 
 iii) a location proximate to a bottom of a knee; 
 iv) the location proximate to the popliteal region; 
 v) a location proximate to ½ of a distance from the location proximate to the popliteal region and a location proximate to a gluteal region; or 
 vi) the location proximate to the gluteal region. 
   
     
     
         15 ) The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first body part is an arm, and a plurality of cross-sectional views are generated at corresponding body part locations, the plurality of cross-sectional views comprising at least two cross-sectional views of the arm, and:
 a) at least one cross-sectional view of the plurality of cross-sectional views is generated at:
 i) a location proximate to a palm at a base of a thumb; or 
 ii) a location proximate to a wrist region; and 
   b) at least one cross-sectional view of the plurality of cross-sectional views is generated at:
 i) a location proximate to ½ of a distance from the location proximate to the wrist region and a location proximate to an elbow region; 
 ii) the location proximate to the elbow region; 
 iii) a location proximate to ½ of a distance from the location proximate to the elbow region and a location proximate to an armpit region; or 
 iv) the location proximate to the armpit region. 
   
     
     
         16 ) A compression garment generated from the method of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         17 ) The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 a. the first body part is an arm;   b. the compression garment fabricated from the compression garment fit information is in a form of an arm sleeve and incorporates a compression value of from 20 to 50 mm Hg; and   c. the compression garment is configured to apply the compression value to the first body part when the compression garment is worn by the person.   
     
     
         18 ) The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 a) the first body part is a leg;   b) the compression garment fabricated from the compression garment fit information is in a form of a leg sleeve and incorporates a compression value of from 20 to 50 mm Hg; and   c) the compression garment is configured to apply the compression value to the first body part when the compression garment is worn by the person.   
     
     
         19 ) The method of  claim 1 , further comprising incorporating information about one or more of patient age, gender, or disease status into the compression garment fit information.