RJL Systems, a company based in Clinton Township, Michigan, launched last week the latest successor in their line of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) products, the Quantum V. The Michigan-based company, often considered the originators and chief innovators of BIA instrumentation for use in determining body composition, has regularly worked to advance their technology since the 1983 release of their initial FDA-cleared Class II medical device. The Quantum V segmental body composition analyzer seeks to continue that trend by offering increased data acquisition speed, accuracy, specificity, and utility as compared to prior models.
BIA, generally, is a technique that leverages measurements of current flow through the body to determine the amount and distribution of water. Water content metrics may be utilized to estimate an individual’s lean body mass, which, in turn, allows for the calculation of body fat. Whereas previous BIA device models reported whole body data, the Quantum V system produces a segmental analysis for 13 distinct anatomical zones. By virtue of an eight lead, 12-channel multiplexer design and the included Body Composition 4.1 software, the device is able to scan and calibrate body composition assessments for all four limbs; the left, right, and full torso; the left, right, upper, and lower halves of the body; the android; and the gynoid. Within each zone, segmental resistance and reactance measurements recorded with a resolution of 0.1 ohms yield the fat, lean body mass, lean dry mass, lean soft tissue, total body water, and skeletal muscle mass content, all in less than 15 seconds.
The measurements made by the Quantum V are highly comparable to those rendered by vastly more expensive Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) systems, and ultimately allow clinicians to examine patient health and progress without radiographic or blood work assessments. As Rudy Liedtke, the Chief Executive Officer of RJL Systems and personal holder of the patent for BIA, adds, “this new offering provides a much more comprehensive analysis of segmented body composition that doctors, physical therapists, trainers and nutritionists can use to track and monitor their patients’ progress and health improvements.”
Press release: RJL Systems Announces New Segmental BIA Medical Device…
Company Page: RJL Systems…