Method and apparatus for non-invasively measuring blood flow and for acquiring and processing and ECG signal

• US 20040097818A1
• Filed: 11/10/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schiller AG
• Original Assignee: Schiller AG
• Inventors: Felblinger, Jacques, Abacherli, Roger, Schmid, Johann-Jakob
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/504
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0265 using electromagnetic means, e.g. electromagnetic flowmeter

Abstract

The flow of blood in a vessel (G) in a living being (P) which is exposed to a magnetic field (B) is determined by measuring the potential difference (ΔV) between at least two points (P1, P2) next to the vessel (G). The potential difference (ΔV) is produced on the basis of the Hall effect by the moving charge carriers (Q) in the blood in the presence of the magnetic field (B). When recording an ECG, the cardiac output can be determined in this manner under the influence of a magnetic field (B). At the same time, the ECG signal can be corrected in the knowledge of the component (T) of the ECG signal (E) which can be attributed to the Hall effect.

Claims

1. A method for non-invasively measuring flow of blood in a blood vessel in the body of a living being, said method comprising steps of

exposing the body to a magnetic field,

deriving an electrical potential from at least two points on the body surface next to the blood vessel, and

determining the flow of blood on the basis of the potential difference between the at least two points.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is produced by an MRI arrangement.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the flow of blood is measured while an MRI diagnosis is being performed.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the potential difference is measured using an instrument for measuring an electro-physiological parameter.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the potential difference is measured using an instrument for measuring an electro-physiological parameter, where instrument is an ECG device.

6. A method according to claim 5, comprising a further step of placing electrodes of the device on the body of the living being such that the cardiac output can be determined from the potential difference, and in that cardiac output is determined on the basis of the potential difference.

7. A method for acquiring and processing an electro-physiological ECG signal from a patient who is exposed to a magnetic field, comprising steps of:

recording a signal,

determining a portion of the signal profile in which the signal is overlaid with a signal component which is produced on the basis of the Hall effect by charge carriers in the blood expelled by the heart, and

processing the signal and eliminating the signal component of the signal which is brought about by a Hall effect in said portion of the signal profile.

8. A method according to claim 7, comprising a further step of determining the cardiac output on the basis of the determined signal profile in said portion of the signal.

9. Use of a device for measuring an electro-physiological parameter, particularly an ECG device, for determining the flow of blood in a vessel in the body of a living being exposed to a magnetic field, particularly for determining the cardiac output.

10. An apparatus for non-invasive measurement of the flow of blood in a vessel in a body of a living being or for acquiring and processing an electro-physiological signal, said apparatus comprising

an ECG arrangement having at least two electrodes for measuring a potential difference between at least two points on a surface of the body and for producing a potential signal, and means for ascertaining a component of the potential signal which is produced on the basis of the Hall effect by the movement of charge carriers in the vessel.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising means for automatically determining the flow of blood on the basis of the determined component of the potential signal.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising means for suppressing the component.

13. A method for operating an electro-physiological instrument and for evaluating an electro-physiological signal acquired from a body exposed to a magnetic field, said method comprising steps of determining a signal component of the signal which is caused by the Hall effect and deriving therefrom a value which is characteristic of the flow of blood in a vessel.