Non-invasive device and method for the diagnosis of pulmonary vascular occlusions

• US 20030060727A1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority
• Original Assignee: Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority
• Inventors: Kline, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,881,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/538
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0833 Measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/417 the bone marrow
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/4585 having a rectifier with controlled elements

Abstract

The invention involves a device and method for ascertaining the functioning of the respiratory system and determining whether a pulmonary embolism is present. The device comprises an apparatus containing sensors which measure the amount of a particular gas expired from a patient'"'"'s lungs, including a non-ambient gas which is previously provided to the patent. From this data, a processor computes the concentration of expired gas as a function of expired volume and displays the results on a screen. By comparing the results to predetermined values from afflicted and healthy patient populations, an accurate determination can be made regarding the presence of a pulmonary embolism.

Claims

1. A device for non-invasively diagnosing abnormal respiratory function, comprising:

a patient breathing tube;

a flow meter connected to said tube; and

a spectrometer connected to said tube.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said spectrometer is an infrared spectrometer.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said infrared spectrometer is capable of measuring the presence of a non-ambient gas.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said non-ambient gas is sulfur hexafloride.

5. A device for non-invasively diagnosing abnormal respiratory function, comprising:

a patient breathing tube;

a flow meter connected to said tube;

an oxygen meter connecter to said tube;

a nitrogen meter connected to said tube; and

a data processing unit programmed to calculate the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide connected to said flow meter, said oxygen meter, and said nitrogen meter.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said nitrogen meter is a mass spectrometer.

7. A device for non-invasively diagnosing abnormal respiratory function, comprising:

a patient breathing tube;

a flow meter connected to said tube;

an carbon dioxide meter connecter to said tube;

a nitrogen meter connected to said tube; and

a data processing unit programmed to calculate the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide connected to said flow meter, said carbon dioxide, and said nitrogen meter.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said nitrogen meter is a mass spectrometer.

9. A system for non-invasively diagnosing abnormal respiratory function, comprising:

a patient breathing tube;

a flow meter connected to said tube;

an oxygen meter connecter to said tube;

a carbon dioxide meter connected to said tube,

a spectrometer connected to said tube; and

a data processing unit connected to said flow meter, said oxygen meter, said carbon dioxide meter, and spectrometer.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a display screen coupled to said data processing unit.

11. A device for non-invasively diagnosing abnormal respiratory function, comprising:

means for detecting the amount of a non-ambient gas exhaled by a patient;

means for calculating the concentration of said gas; and

means for plotting said concentration of said gas as a function of expired volume.

12. A method for diagnosing abnormal respiratory function, comprising the steps of:

injecting a patient with a predetermined amount of a non-ambient gas in a sterile solution;

providing a mouthpiece to said patient;

allowing said patient to exhale through said mouthpiece;

measuring the exhaled concentration of said gas over a predetermined time period; and

determining whether said exhaled concentration of said gas indicates abnormal respiratory function.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of determining whether said exhaled concentration of said gas indicates abnormal respiratory function comprises:

displaying a graph of the moles of said gas expired verses as a function of the total volume of gases expired; and

comparing said graph to corresponding data from normal and afflicted populations.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said non-ambient gas is selected from the group consisting of sodium hexafloride, acetylene, ethane, cyclopropane, halothane, ether, and acetone.