DVT DETECTION

• US 20080076984A1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Huntleigh Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Huntleigh Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: GOUGH, Nigel
• Application Number:
  US11/577,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20080076984A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4035 Evaluating the autonomic nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle

Abstract

A device comprising a light transmission and detection system having transducers (10, 20, 7, 8), control means (5) and output means (7). The transducers are placed at various sites on the body of a patient and the light absorbed and/or reflected at these sites is measured and signals related to vasomotor activity are collected. The output can take the form of a detailed display of the vasomotor signals collected from the transducers (10, 20, 7, 8) to a simple indication of a condition present or absent. For example, the presence of a unilateral DVT can be detected by measuring the dissimilarity between two transducer signals from the soles of a patient'"'"'s feet. The invention can also be used to provide an indication or not of for example, DVT and diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Claims

1. A device comprising a light transmission and detection system to assess vasomotor activity at individual sites on a body for the monitoring and assessment of a range of clinical conditions including suspected DVT and diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a multi channel light transmission and detection system, including one or more wave transducers, the wave transducers placed at one or more sites on a body, control means to continuously measure the light absorbed at the or more sites and provide signals relating to the absolute value at the or more sites.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a multi channel light transmission and detection system, including one or more wave transducers, the wave transducers placed at one or more sites on a body, control means to continuously measure the light reflected at the or more sites and provide signals relating to the absolute value at the or more sites.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control means measure the light absorbed at the or more sites and provide signals relating to the differential value between the sites.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control means measure the light reflected at the or more sites and provide signals relating to the differential value between the sites.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the signals relating to the simultaneous low frequency heart rate variation and the low frequency vasomotor variation are extracted and compared.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transducers are infra red wave transducers.

8. A vasomotor activity assessment device including:

a. two or more transducers, each transducer being configured for attachment to a respective portion of a body, wherein each transducer includes;

(1) alight emitter situated to emit light into the portion of the body upon which the light emitter'"'"'s transducer is situated, and

(2) a light detector situated to receive light from the light emitter through the portion of the body;

b. a control unit wherein;

(1) signals from the light detectors of the transducers are received, the signals being indicative of the light received by the light detectors; and

(2) the signals from the light detectors are compared to indicate differences in blood circulation between the respective portions of the body upon which the transducers are situated.

9. The vasomotor activity assessment device of claim 8 wherein each light emitter emits light in infrared wavelengths.

10. The vasomotor activity assessment device of claim 8 further including digital to analog converters situated between the control unit and the transducers, wherein each digital to analog converter receives instruction signals from the control unit and supplies a resulting voltage to a corresponding one of the light emitters of the transducers.

11. The vasomotor activity assessment device of claim 8 further including analog to digital converters situated between the control unit and the transducers, wherein each analog to digital converter receives signals from a corresponding one of the light detectors of the transducers and supplies a resulting signal to the control unit.

12. A vasomotor activity assessment method including the steps of:

a. providing two or more transducers, each transducer being attached to a respective portion of a body, wherein each transducer includes;

(1) alight emitter situated to emit light into the portion of the body upon which the light emitter'"'"'s transducer is situated, and

(2) a light detector situated to receive light from the light emitter through the portion of the body;

b. receiving signals from the light detectors of the transducers, the signals being indicative of the light received by the light detectors; and

c. comparing the signals from the light detectors to indicate differences in blood circulation between the respective portions of the body upon which the transducers are situated.

13. The vasomotor activity assessment method of claim 12 wherein the transducers are attached to the same limb in spaced relation.

14. The vasomotor activity assessment method of claim 12 wherein the transducers are attached to different limbs of the body.