2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Development of a device to screen swallowing function using near-infrared fluorescence

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	20K12741
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Review Section	Basic Section 90150:Medical assistive technology-related
Research Institution	Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Principal Investigator	Yoshimi Kanako 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 助教 (90822560)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	小池卓二電気通信大学, 大学院情報理工学研究科, 教授 (10282097) 道脇幸博東邦大学, 医学部, 客員教授 (40157540) 西村吾朗北海道大学, 電子科学研究所, 助教 (30218193) 戸原玄東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 教授 (00396954) 中川量晴東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 准教授 (60585719)
Project Period (FY)	2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
Keywords	嚥下障害 / 誤嚥 / 嚥下機能評価 / 近赤外線
Outline of Final Research Achievements	In the first year, preliminary experiments were conducted to (1) set the irradiation angle of the probe to the neck, (2) set the fluorescence intensity integration time, and (3) examine the optimal span for measuring pharyngeal residue. On this basis, the measurement equipment was modified and improved. In the second and final year the measurements were conducted on patients with dysphagia. Fluorescence measurement and videofluoroscopy of swallowing were performed at the same time. Fluorescence in the pharyngeal residue of food was successfully detected. In addition, the contact position and strength of the probe affected the accuracy of the detection. Based on these results, the probe configuration and sensor sensitivity were investigated. Simplification of the examination technique and improvement of detection accuracy are major issues, and we plan to continue our research in the future.
Free Research Field	摂食嚥下リハビリテーション学分野
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	加齢や疾患による嚥下機能低下は誤嚥性肺炎の発症につながるため、在宅や病院などで、簡便にかつ侵襲なく実施できる嚥下機能評価の確立が求められている。我々は近赤外線光を用いた検査システムを新たに開発し、咽頭に残留した食物の検出能力を調査した。研究では、蛍光色素を食品に混和し嚥下障害患者に摂取させ、嚥下後の咽頭残留物を本システムにより体表から検知できることを確認した。嚥下内視鏡や嚥下造影検査ができない環境でも、本システムを使用することで誤嚥リスク評価が可能となり、将来的には嚥下障害の予防や診断に役立てることができると考える。