RJL systems QUANTUM III User manual
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QUANTUM III
USER’S MANUAL
Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzer
RJLSystems
33939HarperAvenue
ClintonTownshipMI48035USA
800‐528‐4513
Fax586‐790‐0205
www.rjlsystems.com
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Manual Revision Date:
November 11, 2009
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Intended Usage............................................................................................................5
Indications for use
Intended Population
Contraindications
Warnings
Precautions
System Contents.........................................................................................6
Quantum-III Hardware...............................................................................7
Charging the Q3.........................................................................................8
What Happens When Q3 is Turned ON?....................................................9
Introducing the Main Menu........................................................................10
Setting System Preferences ........................................................................11
Setting the Time and Date ..........................................................................12
Testing the Subject Cables..........................................................................13-14
Subject Preparation.....................................................................................15
Electrode Placement...................................................................................16
Performing a BIATest................................................................................17-18
The Record Menu — Getting Results.........................................................19
Storage Status ............................................................................................20
BIA Questions............................................................................................21-22
How do I measure frame size?
How is target weight calculated?
What do the different Activity Levels mean?
Definitions—What do the Results Mean? ........................................................23-24
Printing Reports Using the RF Link...........................................................25-28
Sample Report……………………………………………………………..29
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Indications for use
The Quantum-III measures or calculates the following values:
Resistance, Reactance, Impedance, Phase Angle, Body Fat* (FAT), Fat-Free Mass/Lean
Body Mass* (FFM/LBM), Total Body Water* (TBW), Intra-Cellular Water* (ICW), Extra-
Cellular Water* (ECW), Basal Metabolic Rate* (BMR), Daily Energy Expenditure* (DEE),
Body Mass Index (BMI)
* Estimated
Intended population / usage
The Quantum-III is intended to be used on normally healthy individuals aged 12-90, who
have not had an arm or leg amputated. It is not intended to diagnose or treat a disease or
medical condition.
Contraindications
No known contraindications exist.
INTENDED USAGE
Warnings
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) devices, like the Quantum-III, operate by introduc-
ing an alternating current (AC) signal into a body, and then detecting how that signal is af-
fected by the body. This device should not be used on subjects with any implantable elec-
tronic devices such as pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).
Women who are tested with this device should not be pregnant or suspected of being preg-
nant. Besides increased inaccuracy of readings in this condition, the effects of the measure-
ment on the fetus are unknown.
Precautions
Failure to follow the subject preparation and testing procedures (detailed on pages 15-16)
may result in incorrect readings.
The person performing the BIA tests must also be able to demonstrate proficiency in elec-
trode placement. See page 15 for conducting a proficiency test.
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SYSTEM CONTENTS
Pouch containing subject
cables and test resistor
Adhesive Electrodes
( Behind Pouch )
Pouch containing Q3 charger
Pouch containing USB
and serial cables
Quantum-III
Quantum-III RF Link
( Under Quantum-III )
Printer Charger
( Under Quantum-III )
Mini Thermal Printer
USB RF-Link
( Under Printer)
User manuals for the Quantum-III, Mini Thermal Printer, and PC Body Composition Software are not shown in
the picture above.
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FRONT of Quantum-III
Power
Controls Previous Field
( UP Arrow )
Next Field
( DOWN Arrow )
Battery Charging
Status Indicator Multi-Purpose Serial Port
Connects to:
•Mini Thermal Printer
•PC
•RF-Link
Charger / Subject
Cable Port
BACK PANEL of Quantum-III
INTRODUCING QUANTUM-III HARDWARE
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To charge the Q3, first connect the power cord to
the charger, and plug it into the wall. Second,
plug the charging cable into the round Subject
Cable/Charger connector in the center of the
back panel. You will notice an indentation on
the charger cable connector. This indentation
must line up with the arrow on the back panel to
insert the connector. The indentation on the connector must
line up with the arrow.
•Batteries OK
While the charger is plugged in and the batteries are charging,
this light should blink once per second. Once the batteries are
fully charged or the charger is disconnected, this light will stop
blinking and turn off.
•Rapid Charge
This light turns on when the batteries are charging quickly. How long the system stays in
this mode depends on how low the batteries were when the Q3 was plugged in.
•Top-off Charge
When the charging system detects that the batteries are close to being fully charged, it
slows the charging rate to protect the batteries.
•Done Charging
Once the batteries are fully charged, this light will turn on. At this point, the system enters
a maintenance mode, and the batteries are monitored to ensure that they remain fully
charged.
If the batteries are low, it can take up to five (5) hours for the batteries to become
fully charged,. It is recommended the Q3 be allowed to charge overnight. The Q3
uses a “smart” charging system, which protects the batteries from being overcharged.
Therefore, it is perfectly safe to leave the Q3 plugged in when not in use.
Please note: While the Q3 is plugged into the charger, it cannot be used to perform
BIA tests or to do system maintenance. If the Q3 is turned on while charging, it will
either display a message saying “batteries charging” or “batteries fully charged”.
Also on the back panel is an array of four lights which indicate the charging
status of the Q3. These lights will only turn on if the Q3 is plugged in. The
lights have the following meanings:
CHARGING the Q3
LOCATED
ON BACK
PANEL
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1. Self Tests
The Q3 will begin by performing a series of self-tests to ensure
the internal circuitry is properly calibrated and working correctly.
This takes approximately 15-20 seconds. It is imperative the
charger not be plugged in while the self-tests are in progress. This
will confuse the Q3 and make some future tests fail. If this hap-
pens, turn the Q3 off and then back on to clear the error.
2. Title Screen
After the tests have completed successfully, the Q3 will display
the title screen for approximately five seconds. In addition to the
name of the analyzer, this screen will also show you the version
information for the firmware (program) running on the Q3. If you
ever have a problem with the Q3 and need to call tech support, the
technician will ask you for this information.
3. Current Date and Time
The Q3 will spend another five seconds showing you the current
date and time. Please check to ensure this date and time is correct
because any reports printed or BIA records saved will have this
timestamp. To change the timestamp, you can either press “0” to
go to the Change Time form, or you can wait and come back to
this page from the main menu later.
(See Introducing the Main Menu and Changing the Time and Date.)
4. Main Info Page
If the subject cables are plugged into the Q3 and connected to a
test subject, this page will show the current measured resistance
and reactance; along with the calculated impedance and phase an-
gle. Otherwise, this page will only contain the message that the
subject cables are disconnected. For a brief description of the
measurements’ meanings, see the section: “What Do the Results
Mean?”
Main page with subject cable connected.
Main page—subject cable disconnected
Performing self-tests
The title screen
Current Date and Time
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE Q3 IS TURNED ON?
If the Q3 is turned on and is plugged into the charger, it will display a message about the
battery status (see “Charging the Q3”). If the Q3 is turned on and is NOT plugged into the
charger, the following sequence of events will occur:
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Navigation through the program that runs on the Q3 is done by use of a couple of menus. To
get to the main menu, press the MENU key. When you do, the top four lines of the menu
will appear on the screen. For reference, the entire menu is shown below on the right. Use
the up and down arrows to move the blinking cursor through the list of screens. When the
cursor is next to the screen you want, press the ENTER key.
Here is a brief introduction to the various screens listed in the
main menu:
•Main Page
You were introduced to the main page in the previous section.
This screen shows you either the BIA readings currently being
measured (if cables are currently connected to the patient) or
the message saying the cables are disconnected.
•Time & Date
This screen is shown briefly when you turn on the Q3. It dis-
plays the current time and date which will be printed on re-
ports or saved on BIA records. This screen provides the op-
portunity to update the Q3’s system clock.
•Subject Input
This screen is used to enter patient data to calculate body com-
position. Once all of the necessary data has been inputted,
you will have the opportunity to view body composition re-
sults and print reports.
•Edit Preferences
The preferences screen allows you to configure the behavior
of the Q3. You can set units for height and weight, time and
date formatting, etc.
•Storage Status
Going to this screen will show you how many records are
currently stored on the Q3 and much space remains in the
memory. For more information, refer to “Storage Status”
•Run Self Tests
Selecting this menu option will re-run all of the tests that are
performed every time the Q3 is turned on.
•About
This menu option takes you to the title page that you were
introduced to in “What Happens When the Q3 is Turned
On.”
The Main System Menu
INTRODUCINGTHE MAIN MENU
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The System Preferences Form
SETTING SYSTEM PREFERENCES
•Height Units
Tell the Q3 whether you will be entering people’s heights in inches or centimeters.
•Weight Units
Tell the Q3 whether you will be entering people’s weights in pounds or kilograms.
Results that are weights (i.e. amount of fat) are also formatted according to this setting.
•Time and Date Format
These settings control how the date and time gets formatted when it is displayed on the
screen or printed on a report using the mini thermal printer. If you are printing via a PC
Link, how the date and time get formatted will depend on the settings of the PC appli-
cation used to print the report.
•Print Using
This setting is used to format a report which is to be printed. If you will be using the
mini thermal printer, select “Attached Printer”. If you will be printing via a program
on your PC using either a direct cable connection or the RF Link, set the option to “PC
Link”.
•Communications Speed
This setting allows you to select one of two different data rates. HOWEVER, unless
you are connecting the Q3 to a custom piece of hardware or software which specifi-
cally requests the higher setting, you should always leave this setting on 9600.
In the main menu, move the cursor to the field next to
“Edit Preferences”; press ENTER. Selected options are
marked with an ‘X’ to the left of the field. Shown on the
right, the 24-hour time formatting and Month/Day/Year
date formatting are both selected.
To change a setting, (for example, to set 12-hour AM/PM
formatting) move the cursor to the left of the field of the
desired option and press ENTER
Please note: The communications speed should always be
set to “9600” unless you are using custom-designed hard-
ware with your Q3.
When all options have been changed to the desired settings, press MENU to return to the
main menu.
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Display the current time and date by selecting “Time & Date”
from the main menu. You will notice that, at the bottom of the
screen, it says “Press ‘0’ to change”.
Press ‘0’ to change the time and date.
Use the arrow keys to move back and forth between the fields.
To change an entry: (1) Use the back-space key to erase the old
value; (2) Enter the new one.
If you are using 12-hour AM/PM time formatting, you will see
in the upper-right corner, “1 AM / 2 PM” below a field showing
whether it is morning or afternoon/evening. To set the clock to
AM, set this value to “1”. For PM, set it to “2”.
When you are satisfied with the time settings, press MENU to
return to the main menu. The settings on this form will now be
written to the Q3 clock.
Displaying current time & date
Change Time & Date Form
SETTING TIME and DATE
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1. Navigate to the main page of the Q3. Assuming the subject
cables are disconnected, you should see the message shown to
the right.
2. Connect the subject cables to the Q3. On the round subject cable
connector, the indentation must line up with the arrow on the
back panel of he Q3 to allow proper insertion of the connector.
3. Take the test resistor out of its storage tube. Connect the clips
from one of the cables to the wire on one side of the resistor.
The red clip must be between the black clip and the resistor.
4. Connect the other two clips to the wire on the other side of the
resistor in the same manner. It does not matter which cable gets
connected to which wire—the test resistor cannot be connected
“backwards”. What matters is that both clips from the same ca-
ble get connected to the same side of the resistor.
The cables should be tested regularly or any time you receive readings that “don’t look
right.” RJL Systems receives calls from new customers asking how regularly we recommend
testing the cables. A set of subject cables should last a long time, if they are used gingerly
and treated with respect. Testing them once every few months is not a bad idea.
[2] The indentation on the connector
must line up with the arrow.
[1] Cables are Disconnected Message
on the Main page
[3] - [4] The subject cables properly
connected to the test resistor
TESTING SUBJECT CABLES
The subject cables are delicate. Abuse can cause breaks in the wires. Frequently, this leads
to incorrect resistance and reactance values and readings that rapidly change or “jump
around”. Be careful not to tie them in knots or to fold them over. When storing the subject
cables, they should be coiled loosely and placed in their storage pouch.
Once the subject cables have been connected to the test resistor, you should see the screen
change to show you the current resistance, reactance, impedance, and phase angle. These meas-
urements may appear before all four clips are connected to the resistor, but it is imperative that
all four clips do get connected before proceeding with the test.
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The resistance value should read almost exactly 500 Ohms. Readings of 499 or 501 are
acceptable. Now, gently move the cables around while watching the screen of the Q3 for
any large changes in the resistance value. Changes of +/-2 Ohms in resistance while you
are moving the cables around are acceptable. Changes of 10 Ohms or more are not. If you
see large changes in the resistance readings, then your cables are damaged and need to be
replaced before you perform any BIA tests. Please call RJL Systems to order a new set.
TESTING SUBJECT CABLES (Continued)
The Cables are Disconnected Message on the
Main age
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SUBJECT PREPARATION
Subject Preparation
•The person being tested should not have exercised or taken a sauna within 8 hours of the
study.
•The person being tested should refrain from alcohol intake for 12 hours prior to the
study.
•The person being tested height and weight should be accurately measured and recorded.
•The person being tested should lie quietly during the entire test.
•The person being tested should not be wet from sweat, and any lotion on the hand and
foot must be removed with an alcohol swab.
•The person being tested should not have a fever or be in shock.
•The study and testing procedure should be explained to the person being tested .
•The exam area should be comfortable, and free of drafts.
•The exam table surface must be non-conductive, and be large enough for the person be-
ing tested to lie supine, with the legs not in contact with each other, and the arm at an ap-
proximate 30° angle to the body.
ELECTRODE PRECAUTIONS
Before testing any patients and collecting date from BIA tests, it is highly recommended that
the specialist demonstrate a proficiency in electrode placement. This proficiency is proven
by the specialist conducting two consecutive tests on the same subject and receiving results
which differ from each other by less than one percent (1%).
Proficiency Test
1. Connect all four electrodes to the subject and attach the subject cables. Note the resis-
tance and reactance values on the main page.
2. Disconnect the cables and remove and discard the electrodes.
3. Repeat steps (1) and (2) with a fresh set of electrodes.
4. To demonstrate a proficiency, the values from the two tests should differ by less than one
percent (1%).
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ELECTRODE PLACEMENT
Placing the Electrodes
The BIA test is normally performed on a person’s right side. Either side of the body could be
used, but it is important to consistently test on the same side of the body for all tests per-
formed on any given individual. Begin by making sure that the subject cables are connected
to the Q3, and that the analyzer is turned on.
Find the ulnar head by feeling the joint of the wrist. Imagine or draw a line bisecting the ul-
nar head, perpendicular to the arm. Place the hand detecting electrode proximal (on the hand
side) to this line, with the tab of the electrode pointing away from the body. The hand’s sig-
nal electrode should be wrapped around the middle finger, with the tab facing away from the
body, which should put it inline with the detecting electrode.
The medial mallealus (inside ankle-bone) should be used in the same manner as the ulnar
head to place the foot’s detecting electrode. The foot’s signal electrode should be placed at
the base of the big toe, inline with the detecting electrode.
Connect the red clips of the subject cables to the detecting electrodes, and the black clips to
the signal electrodes. Now, if you navigate to the main page on the Q3, you will be able to
see the current measured resistance and reactance.
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•Height
The patient’s height, in whichever units were selected in the “Edit Preferences” form.
•Weight
The patient’s weight, in whichever units were selected in the “Edit Preferences” form.
•Age
The patient’s age.
•Gender
To enter the patient’s gender, enter ‘1’ if the person is male, ‘2’ if the person is female. If
the patient has undergone surgery for gender reassignment, it is important to enter the pa-
tient’s original gender at birth. Men and women are genetically programmed to distribute
fat throughout the body differently, and these differences in distribution need to be com-
pensated for by the Q3 when the resistance and reactance values are analyzed.
•Frame Size
The Q3 will adjust its calculation of the patient’s target weight based on their frame size.
Enter ‘1’ for a small frame, ‘2’ for a medium frame, and ‘3’ for a large frame. For detail
on measuring frame size, see How do I measure frame size?
The Subject Input Form
PERFORMINGA BIATEST
•Subject ID
This field is used by your computer to be able to differentiate one
patient from another.
•The Subject ID field is REQUIRED if:
1) You will be saving the test record on the Q3 to be later
transmitted to your PC or
2) You will be using the RF link to print reports from your PC.
•The Subject ID field is OPTIONAL if:
1) You do not plan to save the tests or
2) You are not going to use the RF Link to print reports.
•An example of a setting where you might not want to save the re-
ports would be if you were performing BIA tests at a health fair,
where you were seeing large numbers of people whom you did
not expect to see as long-term clients.
Select “Subject Input” from the main menu. The top four lines of this page are shown on the
right. Here is a brief rundown of what the input fields are asking for:
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To perform a BIAtest and get results:
1. Fill in all fields except, optionally, the Subject ID and
target weight fields
2. Answer either YES or NO to the “Save Record” ques-
tion. If any field contains a value outside of an allow-
able range, or if there are any other problems, a mes-
sage will be displayed describing the error, and you
will be taken back to the subject input form and given
an opportunity to correct the error. If there are no prob-
lems and you answered “Yes”, then you will be briefly
shown a message telling you how many records are
saved on the Q3 (including the one you just entered)
before you are taken to the record menu.
If the record is saved, the
storage status is shown before going
to the record menu.
•Target Weight
You may choose to either enter your own target weight value, or you can allow the Q3 to
calculate one for you. The method the Q uses is described in: “How is target weight
calculated?”
•Activity Level
The activity level field gives the Q3 a general idea of how much activity the patient regu-
larly sees as a result of his/her average daily routine. For descriptions that might help you
choose which activity level to select, see What do the different activity levels mean?
Enter 0 for “Very Light”, 1 for “Light”, 2 for “Moderate”, 3 for “Heavy” and 4 for
“Exceptional”.
•Resistance & Reactance
You may choose to either manually enter values for resistance and reactance, or if the
subject cables are currently connected to the patient, you can have the Q3 automatically
fill in the currently measured values by pressing ‘0’ with the cursor on the field labeled
“Press ‘0’ here to read BIA values:”
•Save Record?
You may choose to answer either yes or no to this question. To proceed to the Record
Menu and get the test results without saving the record, press Enter with the cursor next
to ‘no’. To save the record before getting the result, answer ‘yes’.
•Exit to Main Menu
Once you are in the Subject input form, you can not exit back to the main menu by press-
ing the “Menu” key. This is to prevent you from accidentally exiting from the form and
losing your inputted data. To exit back to the main menu, place the cursor on this field
and press Enter.
PERFORMINGA BIATEST (Continued)
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•Edit Record
To go back to the Subject Input form to review the data you
inputted, or to make changes, select this option.
•View Results
Selecting this option takes you to the results screen. (shown
below) You will be able to scroll up and down through the
list of calculated results with the up and down arrow keys.
While in the results page, pressing the menu button will
bring you back to the record menu.
•Print Report
Selecting this option will send the report to be printed. How
it gets sent depends on how printing was configured in the
preferences screen. If “Attached Printer” was selected in the
preferences, then the Q3 will assume that the mini thermal
printer is attached to the Q3’s serial port, and will format the
report layout accordingly. If “PC Link” was selected, then
the Q3 will assume that the serial port on the Q3 is either
connected to an RF Link with your PC, or is directly con-
nected to your PC with a serial cable.
•Enter New Record
If you are done with this test, but have another to enter, se-
lect this option.
•Exit to Main Menu
If you are done viewing results and printing reports for this
test, and have no more tests to enter select this option to re-
turn to the main menu.
The Record Menu
The Results Page
THE RECORD MENU — GETTING RESULTS
Once you have entered the subject record and answered either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the Save
Record question, you will be brought to the record menu, which is shown to the right.
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Selecting “Storage Status” from the main menu takes you to a
slightly different version of the storage status message than
what you were shown in Performing a BIA Test on page 18.
Notice at the bottom of the screen, it says “Press ‘0’ to erase.”
Normally, records stored on the Q3 are only removed from
memory when they are downloaded to a database on a PC. If
there are records stored on the Q3 that you simply wish to dis-
card without downloading them, press the ‘0’ key. Otherwise,
simply wait for a few seconds, and you will be returned to the
main menu.
Storage Status
If you pressed the ‘0’ key on the previous screen, you will be
taken to this confirmation window. You must either answer
Yes or No. ( Y or N )
If you answer ‘Y’, all records currently stored on the Q3 will
be discarded and permanently erased. It is not possible to only
erase some of the records on the Q3 and leave the rest. If you
wish to preserve some of the records in the Q3’s memory, you
must download the records in memory to a database on a PC
and then delete the undesired records from that database.
Selecting “Storage Status” from the
main menu takes you to this screen.
You must answer ‘Y’ here to erase the
records from the Q3’s memory.
Table of contents
