Analysis of Pulse Signals Based on Array Pulse Volume / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To collect and analyze multi-dimensional pulse diagram features with the array sensor of a pressure profile system (PPS) and study the characteristic parameters of the new multi-dimensional pulse diagram by pulse diagram analysis technology.@*METHODS@#The pulse signals at the Guan position of left wrist were acquired from 105 volunteers at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. We obtained the pulse data using an array sensor with 3×4 channels. Three dimensional pulse diagrams were constructed for the validated pulse data, and the array pulse volume (APV) parameter was computed by a linear interpolation algorithm. The APV differences among normal pulse (NP), wiry pulse (WP) and slippery pulse (SP) were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. The coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated for WP, SP and NP.@*RESULTS@#The APV difference between WP and NP in the 105 volunteers was statistically significant (6.26±0.28 vs. 6.04±0.36, P=0.048), as well as the difference between WP and SP (6.26±0.28 vs. 6.07±0.46, P=0.049). However, no statistically significant difference was found between NP and SP (P=0.75). WP showed a similar CV (4.47%) to those of NP (5.96%) and SP (7.58%).@*CONCLUSION@#The new parameter APV could differentiate between NP or SP and WP. Accordingly, APV could be considered an useful parameter for the analysis of array pulse diagrams in Chinese medicine.

Study and Application Overview of Spectroscopy Method in TCM Tongue Diagnosis / 中国中医药信息杂志

Tongue diagnosis is one of unique techniques of TCM diagnosis. Its subjective and empirical description of written words, spoken language and pictures have been used until now, however, which cannot express the complete information of tongue image comprehensively and objectively. The development of modern technology provides new ideas and methods for the study of tongue diagnosis in TCM. For example, the application of spectroscopy is of great significance for restoring tongue image information. This article briefly introduced the spectroscopy method, summarized its research and application in the field of TCM tongue diagnosis, and put forward the problems and prospects to provide references for further research.

Objectified study on tongue images of patients with lung cancer of different syndromes / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To describe the characteristic of tongue images of patients with lung cancer of different Chinese medicine (CM) syndromes and to reveal the elemental rule on the changes of the tongue images.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 207 patients with lung cancer were divided into four syndrome groups according to the theory of CM: Fei and Shen deficiency syndrome (Group A, 72 cases), Pi deficiency and phlegm deficiency and phlegm) and Shen (deficiency and phlegm) deficiency syndrome (Group A, 72 cases), Pi (deficiency and phlegm) deficiency and phlegm dampness syndrome (Group B, 57 cases), phlegm-heat retention in Fei (Group C, 36 cases) and yin asthenia generating intrinsic heat syndrome (Group D, 42 cases). The tongue parameters were detected by tongue image digital analysis instrument, and the tongue images were described with qualitative, tongue color and quantitative analysis, respectively. The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) L·a·b (CIELAB) color model was used for the quantitative classification.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was a significant statistical difference between different syndrome groups of lung cancer on tongue color, coating color, and thickness of tongue coating (P<0.01), and there was significant statistical difference between the four syndrome groups on Lab values of the tongue and coating (P<0.05). The correct identification rate of discriminant function on the raw data was 65.7%, including 72.2% for Group C, 69.4% for Group A, 69.0% for Group D and 54.4% for Group B.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>A tongue image digital analysis instrument can objectively describe the tongue features of patients with different syndromes of lung cancer. The tongue diagnosis is very important to syndrome differentiation in CM. Tongue diagnosis should be combined with some important characteristics of syndromes in the future to establish a "combination of four examination methods, including inspection, auscultation, interrogation, and pulse-feeling and palpation" in the tongue diagnostic system.</p>