Method and apparatus for diagnosis and diagnostic program

• US 20030125632A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kiyoshi Takizawa
• Original Assignee: Kiyoshi Takizawa
• Inventors: Takizawa, Kiyoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/322,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20030125632A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/352 Detecting R peaks, e.g. for synchronising diagnostic apparatus; Estimating R-R interval
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/366 Detecting abnormal QRS complex, e.g. widening

Abstract

The present invention makes a diagnosis of a patient by detecting changes in the state of the patient appearing in an electrocardiogram from a variation in characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram, for example, an R-R interval in an early stage and reliably. The ordinary distribution calculation section 3 receives the electrocardiogram data measured for a period INT1, calculates characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram as time-series data and generates a set C of differences between neighboring elements of the time-series data. The ordinary distribution calculation section 3 further obtains m subsets by repeating m times the processing of randomly collecting n elements from this set C, and calculates an average value μ and standard deviation σ of the set of average values of these m subsets by assuming that the set of average values has normal distribution indicating the ordinary state of the variations in the characteristic quantities. The state detection section 4 calculates a diagnostic set CT from the electrocardiogram data for a period shorter than the period INT1 in the same way as for the above-described set C, and the diagnosis section 5 compares the difference between the average value of this set CT and the average value of the ordinary distribution with the standard deviation σ and makes a diagnosis.

Claims

1. A diagnostic method for performing diagnosis, comprising the steps of:

incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by an electrocardiograph apparatus as for a given first period distribution calculation data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating m subsets each of which consists of randomly collected n elements from said difference set (n, m;

positive integers), calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution; and

incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by the electrocardiograph apparatus for a second period which is shorter than said first period as diagnostic data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from said diagnostic data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, and comparing the absolute value of the difference between the average value of the element of said difference set and the average value of said ordinary distribution with a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying a given diagnostic coefficient by said standard deviation.

4. The diagnostic method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein calculations of average value and standard deviation of said ordinary distribution from said distribution calculation data are repeated by periodically changing the period of incorporating said distribution calculation data and the average value and the standard deviation of said ordinary distribution are periodically updated.

2. A diagnostic method for performing diagnosis, comprising the steps of:

incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by an electrocardiograph apparatus as for a given first period distribution calculation data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating m subsets each of which consists of randomly collected n elements from said difference set (n, m;

positive integers), calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution;

repeatedly setting a second period which is shorter than said first period with the passage of time, incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by the electrocardiograph apparatus as diagnostic data for every second period, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from each diagnostic data for to generate time-series data respectively, and generating difference sets each of which consists of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of corresponding time-series data; and

displaying an average value variation graphic that plots average values of the respective difference sets in association with times representing the second period corresponding to said difference sets together with a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying a given diagnostic coefficient by said standard deviation on a displaying means, and displaying, when an arbitrary time on this average value variation graphic is specified through an operating means, an electrocardiogram waveform showing a time variation of the electrocardiogram data in a time zone including said specified time on the displaying means so that said average value variation graphic or said electrocardiogram waveform is able to be observed for diagnosis.

3. A diagnostic method for performing diagnosis, comprising the steps of:

incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by an electrocardiograph apparatus as for a given first period distribution calculation data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating m subsets each of which consists of randomly collected n elements from said difference set (n, m;

positive integers), calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution;

repeatedly setting a second period which is shorter than said first period with the passage of time, incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by the electrocardiograph apparatus as diagnostic data for every second period, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from each diagnostic data to generate time-series data respectively, and generating difference sets each of which consists of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of corresponding time-series data; and

counting during a given third period the number of times this average value of each difference set exceeds a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying a given diagnostic coefficient by said standard deviation, and comparing said number of times with a given number of times for diagnosis.

5. A diagnostic apparatus comprising:

an electrocardiograph apparatus;

parameter setting means for setting at least a first period, or a second period which is shorter than said first period, a positive integer parameter n, a positive integer parameter m and a diagnostic coefficient;

ordinary distribution calculating means for incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by said electrocardiograph apparatus as distribution calculation data for said first period set in said parameter setting means, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating as many subsets of as parameter m set in said parameter setting means each of which consists of n elements randomly collected from said difference set where n is said parameter set in said parameter setting means, calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution;

state detecting means for incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by said electrocardiograph apparatus as diagnostic data for the second period set in said parameter setting means, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram from said diagnostic data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, and calculating an average value of said difference set; and

diagnostic means for performing diagnosis by comparing the absolute value of the difference between the average value calculated by said state detecting means and the average value of said ordinary distribution with a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying the diagnostic coefficient set in said parameter setting means by said standard deviation.

8. The diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said ordinary distribution calculating means is provided with functions of iterating calculations of the average value and standard deviation of said ordinary distribution by periodically changing the period of incorporating said distribution calculation data and periodically updating the average value and standard deviation of said ordinary distribution.

9. The diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said ordinary distribution calculating means and said state detecting means are constructed in such a way as to incorporate electrocardiogram data from said electrocardiograph apparatus via a network.

6. A diagnostic apparatus comprising:

an electrocardiograph apparatus;

parameter setting means for setting at least a first period, or a second period which is shorter than said first period, a positive integer parameter n, a positive integer parameter m and a diagnostic coefficient;

ordinary distribution calculating means for incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by said electrocardiograph apparatus as distribution calculation data for said first period set in said parameter setting means, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating as many subsets of as parameter m set in said parameter setting means each of which consists of n elements randomly collected from said difference set where n is said parameter set in said parameter setting means, calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution;

state detecting means for repeatedly setting the second period set in said parameter setting means with the passage of time, incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by said electrocardiograph apparatus as diagnostic data for every second period, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram from each diagnostic data to generate time-series data respectively, generating difference sets each of which consists of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of corresponding time-series data, and calculating an average value of each difference set; and

display controlling means for displaying an average value variation graphic that plots average values of the respective difference sets calculated by said state detecting means in association with times representing said second period corresponding to said difference sets together with a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying a diagnostic coefficient set in said parameter setting means by said standard deviation on a displaying means, and displaying, when an arbitrary time on this average variation graphic is specified through an operating means, an electrocardiogram waveform indicating a time variation of the electrocardiogram data in a time zone including said specified time on the displaying means.

7. A diagnostic apparatus comprising:

an electrocardiograph apparatus;

parameter setting means for setting at least a first period, or a second period which is shorter than said first period, third period, a positive integer parameter n, a positive integer parameter m, a diagnostic coefficient and the number of times for diagnosis;

ordinary distribution calculating means for incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by said electrocardiograph apparatus as distribution calculation data for said first period set in said parameter setting means, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating as many subsets of as parameter m set in said parameter setting means each of which consists of n elements randomly collected from said difference set where n is said parameter set in said parameter setting means, calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution;

state detecting means for repeatedly setting the second period set in said parameter setting means with the passage of time, incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by said electrocardiograph apparatus as diagnostic data for every second period, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram from each diagnostic data to generate time-series data respectively, generating difference sets each of which consists of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of corresponding time-series data, and calculating an average value of each difference set;

a counter for counting the number of times the average value of each difference set calculated by said state detecting means exceeds a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying a diagnostic coefficient set in said parameter setting means by said standard deviation during the third period set in said parameter setting means; and

diagnostic means for performing diagnosis by comparing the count of said counter with the number of times for diagnosis set in said parameter setting means.

10. A diagnostic apparatus comprising a center apparatus and one or a plurality of measuring terminal apparatuses connected to said center apparatus via a network, and each of said measuring terminal apparatuses comprising:

an electrocardiograph apparatus;

parameter setting means for setting at least a first period or a second period which is shorter than said first period, a positive integer parameter n, a positive integer parameter m and a diagnostic coefficient;

ordinary distribution calculating means for incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by said electrocardiograph apparatus as distribution calculation data for said first period set in said parameter setting means, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating as many subsets of as parameter m set in said parameter setting means each of which consists of n elements randomly collected from said difference set where n is said parameter set in said parameter setting means, calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution;

state detecting means for repeatedly setting the second period set in said parameter setting means with the passage of time, incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by said electrocardiograph apparatus as diagnostic data for every second period, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram from each diagnostic data to generate time-series data respectively, generating difference sets each of which consists of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of corresponding time-series data, and calculating an average value of each difference set; and

diagnostic means for performing diagnosis by comparing the absolute value of the difference between the average value calculated by said state detecting means and the average value of said ordinary distribution with a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying the diagnostic coefficient set in said parameter setting means by said standard deviation;

a communication interface; and

controlling means for controlling, during ordinary operation mode, so that the diagnostic result of said diagnostic means is sent to the center apparatus via said communication interface and network by operating said ordinary distribution calculating means, said state detecting means and said diagnostic means according to the parameters set in said control parameter setting means, and controlling, when a command is sent from the center apparatus, so that one or both of the electrocardiogram data from said electrocardiograph apparatus and the average value calculated by said state detecting means for every said second period are sent to the center apparatus via said communication interface and network according to the content of the command,

wherein said center apparatus comprising;

control parameter setting means for setting control parameters used by each measuring terminal apparatus;

display controlling means for controlling the displaying means;

a communication interface;

inputting means; and

controlling means for sending parameters which are set in said control parameter setting means through said inputting means, to the corresponding measuring terminal apparatus via said communication interface and network so that said parameters are set in the control parameter setting means of said measuring terminal apparatus, and when a command is input from the inputting means to one of the measuring terminal apparatuses, sending said command to controlling means of said measuring terminal apparatus via said communication interface and network, controlling said display controlling means during ordinary operation mode so as to display the diagnostic result sent from each measuring terminal apparatus, and controlling said display controlling means, when one or both of said electrocardiogram data and time-series data of the average values are sent according to said command, so as to display the data.

11. A diagnostic program for allowing a computer to execute:

a first step of incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by an electrocardiograph apparatus for a given first period as distribution calculation data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating m subsets each of which consists of randomly collected n elements from said difference set (n, m;

positive integers), calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and

calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution; and

a second step incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by the electrocardiograph apparatus for a second period which is shorter than said first period of as diagnostic data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from said diagnostic data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, comparing the absolute value of the difference between the average value of said difference set and the average value of said ordinary distribution with a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying a given diagnostic coefficient by said standard deviation, and displaying the comparison result on a displaying means.

14. The diagnostic program according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein said first step includes the steps of repeating calculations of an average value and standard deviation of said ordinary distribution using said distribution calculation data by periodically changing the repeating calculations of an average value and standard deviation of said ordinary distribution using said distribution calculation data by periodically changing the period of incorporating said distribution calculation data, and periodically updating the average value and the standard deviation of said ordinary distribution.

12. A diagnostic program for allowing a computer to execute:

a first step of incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by an electrocardiograph apparatus for a given first period as distribution calculation data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating m subsets each of which consists of randomly collected n elements from said difference set (n, m;

positive integers), calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and

calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution;

a second step of repeatedly setting a second period which is shorter than said first period with the passage of time, incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by the electrocardiograph apparatus as diagnostic data for every second period, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from each diagnostic data to generate time-series data respectively, and generating difference sets of which consists of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of corresponding time-series data; and

a third step of displaying an average value variation graphic that plots average values of the respective difference sets in association with times representing the second period corresponding to said difference sets together with a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying a given diagnostic coefficient by said standard deviation on a displaying means, and displaying, when an arbitrary time on this average value variation graphic is specified through an operating means, an electrocardiogram waveform indicating a time variation of the electrocardiogram date in a time zone including said specified time on the displaying means.

13. A diagnostic program for allowing a computer to execute:

a first step of incorporating electrocardiogram data measured by an electrocardiograph apparatus for a given first period as distribution calculation data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating m subsets each of which consists of randomly collected n elements from said difference set (n, m;

positive integers), calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and

calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution;

a second step of repeatedly setting a second period which is shorter than said first period with the passage of time, incorporating the electrocardiogram data measured by the electrocardiograph apparatus as diagnostic data for every second period, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in the electrocardiogram data from each diagnostic data to generate time-series data respectively, and generating difference sets each of which consists of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of corresponding time-series data; and

a third step of counting during a given third period the number of times this average value of each difference set exceeds a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying a given diagnostic coefficient by said standard deviation, and displaying the result of comparing said number of times with a given number of times for diagnosis on a displaying means.

15. A diagnostic method for performing diagnosis of an object, comprising the steps of:

incorporating measured quantity of state of said object for a given first period as distribution calculation data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in said quantity of state from said distribution calculation data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, generating m subsets each of which consists of randomly collected n elements from said difference set (n, m;

positive integers), calculating each average value of the elements of each subset to generate an average value set as a set having the ordinary distribution of said difference set, and calculating average value and standard deviation of said average value set by assuming that said average value set has normal distribution; and

incorporating measured quantity of state of said object for a second period which is shorter than said first period as diagnostic data, detecting characteristic quantities repeatedly appearing in said quantity of state from said diagnostic data to generate time-series data, generating a difference set whose elements consist of absolute values of differences between neighboring data pieces of said time-series data, and comparing the absolute value of the difference between the average value of the elements of said difference set and the average value of said ordinary distribution with a diagnostic level obtained by multiplying a given diagnostic coefficient by said standard deviation.