Relatively constant sensor application pressure for electrical impedance myography

Abstract

Embodiments of devices and methods for evaluating tissue are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for measuring a characteristic of a tissue may include passing a current through the tissue, measuring a signal corresponding to the voltage resulting from passing the current through the tissue, analyzing current passed through the tissue and resulting voltage to determine the electrical characteristics of the tissue; and analyzing the electrical characteristics of the tissue to determine a status of the tissue. Methods for achieving relatively constant sensor application pressure are disclosed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for measuring a localized biological transfer impedance (LBTI) of skeletal muscle tissue, using a device including a sensor with a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes including at least a pair of current electrodes and a pair of voltage electrodes, with one or more of the plurality of electrodes comprising one or more sensor pads, the method comprising:
 positioning the plurality of electrodes of the device in contact with a portion of the tissue so that at least one sensor pad is in contact with the portion of skeletal muscle tissue;   passing a current through the skeletal muscle tissue using the pair of current electrodes so that the current also passes through the at least one sensor pad which is in contact with the portion of tissue;   measuring a signal across the pair of voltage electrodes, the signal corresponding to a voltage resulting from the current passed through the skeletal muscle tissue;   analyzing the current passed through the skeletal muscle tissue and the measured voltage signal to determine the localized biological transfer impedance (LBTI) of the skeletal muscle tissue   using LBTI to address at least one condition selected from the group consisting of cardiac output, neuromuscular disease, back pain, neck pain, and muscular health. and in which LBTI does not comprise whole body measurements