Exercise test interpretation

• US 20070239647A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Young, Brian, Findeis, Martin, Kaiser, Willi
• Granted Patent: US 7,542,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/329 Load diagnosis, e.g. cardiac stress tests
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A system and method for the efficient implementation of a complex exercise test is disclosed. A rule interpreter synthesizes interpretation statements based upon the processing of collected physiological data and user entered data with a series of exercise test interpretation rules. These statements aid a clinician in interpreting exercise test results by identifying detected abnormal or borderline conditions.

Claims

1. An integrated system for interpreting the results of an exercise test being performed on a patient by a clinician, where the exercise test generates a plurality of physiological parameter data from the patient said system comprising:

a rule database comprising a plurality of exercise test interpretation rules;

a rule interpreter; and

an exercise test interpretation display;

wherein the rule interpreter analyzes the physiological parameter data from the patient in light of the exercise test interpretation rules such that the fulfillment of an exercise test interpretation rule is indicated on the exercise test interpretation display.

2. The integrated system of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of interpretation statements; and

a plurality of reasoning texts;

wherein a particular interpretation statement and a particular reasoning text is associated with each exercise test interpretation rule and upon fulfillment of the rule, the exercise test interpretation display comprises the associated interpretation statement and associated reasoning text.

3. The integrated system of claim 2 wherein the exercise test interpretation display further comprises a plurality of interpretation statements and a plurality of reasoning texts.

4. The integrated system of claim 2 wherein the exercise test interpretation display further comprises a summary statement that generally states the result of the exercise test.

5. The integrated system of claim 2 wherein the associated interpretation statement further comprises a location statement that provides generalized physiological location information regarding the rule that has been fulfilled that is associated with the location statement.

6. The integrated system of claim 1 wherein the exercise test interpretation rules further comprise value limits.

7. The integrated system of claim 6 wherein the exercise test interpretation rules further comprise Boolean statements.

8. The integrated system of claim 6 further comprising the element of clinician-entered data, the clinician-entered data comprising patient information and exercise test parameters.

9. A method of a clinician interpreting the physiological data collected from a patient undergoing an exercise test, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting physiological parameter data from the patient;

storing a plurality of exercise test interpretation rules in a database;

analyzing the physiological parameter data for fulfillment of any of the exercise test interpretation rules; and

creating an exercise test interpretation;

wherein the exercise test interpretation includes indication of the fulfillment of one or more of the exercise test interpretation rules.

10. The method of exercise test interpretation of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

the clinician entering data associated with the patient and the exercise test performed; and

using the data associated with the patient and the exercise test in the step of analyzing the physiological parameter data for fulfillment of any of the exercise test interpretation rules;

wherein an exercise test interpretation rule requires data associated with the patient for fulfillment.

11. The method of exercise test interpretation of claim 10 wherein the step of analyzing data for the fulfillment of any of the exercise test interpretation rules is performed by a rule interpreter.

12. The method of exercise test interpretation of claim 9 wherein the exercise test interpretation comprises interpretation statements and reasoning texts.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein an interpretation statement and a reasoning text are associated to an exercise test interpretation rule.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the associated reasoning text identifies the associated rule and the associated interpretation statement identifies a conclusion based upon the fulfillment of the rule.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of the clinician using the exercise test interpretation to compare to and facilitate the clinician'"'"'s independent diagnosis and interpretation of the exercise test results.

16. A graphical user interface for displaying the results of an exercise test interpretation, the graphical user interface comprising:

a plurality of interpretation statements; and

a plurality of reasoning texts;

wherein at least one reasoning text is associated with an interpretation statement and the interpretation statement identifies a conclusion reached based upon the at least one associated reasoning text.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 16 further comprising a summary statement wherein the summary statement provides a general indication of the normality of the exercise test data.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 16 further comprising means for a clinician to select to display the interpretation statement and the reasoning texts separately or in conjunction with each other.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 16 wherein the reasoning texts further comprise information regarding a physiological parameter and an exercise test interpretation rule wherein the reasoning text identifies the exercise test interpretation rule and the physiological parameter that fulfilled the rule.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 19 further comprising at least one location statement associated with at least one interpretation statement, the location statement being based upon the physiological parameter identified in the reasoning text and identifying a general physiological location to which the interpretation statement is directed.