METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PATIENT EVALUATION

• US 20080228091A1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Band, Rolf, Kaiser, Willi
• Application Number:
  US11/684,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228091A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0255 Recording instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/333 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle

Abstract

A method for evaluating a patient is disclosed herein. The method includes performing an exercise test on a patient, obtaining an electrocardiogram during the exercise test, converting the electrocardiogram to an audio file, and analyzing the audio file in order to evaluate the patient. A corresponding system for evaluating a patient is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating a patient comprising:

performing an exercise test on a patient;

obtaining an electrocardiogram during the exercise test;

converting the electrocardiogram to an audio file; and

analyzing the audio file in order to evaluate the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining an electrocardiogram includes obtaining a twelve lead, ten-electrode electrocardiogram.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing the audio file includes listening to the audio file.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said analyzing the audio file includes playing the audio file with an audio player.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said playing the audio file with an audio player includes playing the audio file with a reproduction factor of 60 or with a reproduction factor of 120.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said playing the audio file with an audio player includes playing the audio file in stereo.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said playing the audio file in stereo includes playing the audio file such that a first stereo channel represents a first electrocardiogram lead and a second stereo channel represents a second electrocardiogram lead.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said playing the audio file in stereo includes playing the audio file such that a first stereo channel represents an electrocardiogram lead V2 and a second stereo channel represents an electrocardiogram lead V5.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said playing the audio file in stereo includes playing the audio file such that a first stereo channel represents an electrocardiogram lead aVF and a second stereo channel represents an electrocardiogram lead V2.

10. A method for evaluating a patient comprising:

performing an exercise test on a patient, said exercise test comprising an exercise phase and a recovery phase;

obtaining an electrocardiogram during the exercise phase and the recovery phase of the exercise test;

converting the electrocardiogram to an audio file;

playing the audio file with an audio player; and

listening to the audio file in order to evaluate the patient.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said obtaining an electrocardiogram includes obtaining a twelve lead, ten-electrode electrocardiogram.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said playing the audio file with an audio player includes playing the audio file with a reproduction factor of 60 or with a reproduction factor of 120.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said playing the audio file with an audio player includes playing the audio file in stereo.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said playing the audio file in stereo includes playing the audio file such that a first stereo channel represents a first electrocardiogram lead and a second stereo channel represents a second electrocardiogram lead.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said playing the audio file in stereo includes playing the audio file such that a first stereo channel represents an electrocardiogram lead V2 and a second stereo channel represents an electrocardiogram lead V5.

16. A system for evaluating a patient comprising:

an electrocardiograph configured to record the electrical activity of a patient undergoing an exercise test, and to convey the recorded electrical activity in the form of an electrocardiogram;

a computer operatively connected to the electrocardiograph, said computer configured to receive the electrocardiogram from the electrocardiograph and to convert the electrocardiogram into an audio file; and

an audio player configured to play the audio file such that the audio file can be analyzed in order to evaluate the patient.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer includes a memory device configured to store the audio player.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the audio player is configured to play the audio file with a reproduction factor of 60 or with a reproduction factor of 120.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the audio player is configured to play the audio file in stereo.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the audio player is configured to play the audio file such that a first stereo channel represents a first electrocardiogram lead and a second stereo channel represents a second electrocardiogram lead.