METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ASSESSING INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE

• US 20110137182A1
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Third Eye Diagnostics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Third Eye Diagnostics, Inc.
• Inventors: Bellezza, Anthony, Lai, William
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/031 Intracranial pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4029 for evaluating the peripheral nervous systems A61B5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/04 Measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0808 for diagnosis of the brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/10 Eye inspection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes

Abstract

Provided are methods for noninvasively assessing intracranial pressure (“ICP”) based on optic nerve sheath diameter (“ONSD”) and a blood velocity metric, such as pulsatility or resistivity index. Also provided are related devices and systems for performing the claimed methods.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

locating a periocular blood vessel;

locating the optic nerve;

obtaining optic nerve sheath diameter and blood velocity information from a periocular blood vessel;

assessing intracranial pressure based on the optic nerve sheath diameter and blood velocity information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the blood velocity information comprises pulsatility index, resistivity index, systolic velocity, diastolic velocity, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the blood velocity information comprises pulsatility index, resistivity index, or both.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the optic nerve sheath diameter to a threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the velocity information to a control value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a score value to the subject based on a combination of the optic nerve sheath diameter and blood velocity information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the score value correlates to the subject'"'"'s estimated intracranial pressure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of optic nerve sheath diameter and blood velocity information are obtained with ultrasound, x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, optical coherence tomography, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one of optic nerve sheath diameter and blood velocity information are obtained with ultrasound.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the blood velocity information is obtained with Doppler ultrasound.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the optic nerve sheath diameter is obtained with ultrasound.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising selection of a triage plan based on the assessment of intracranial pressure.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining at least optic nerve sheath diameter and blood velocity information from a periocular blood vessel is performed noninvasively.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing an assessment of intracranial pressure on a computer-readable medium.

15. A device, comprising:

a component configured to obtain optic nerve sheath diameter and blood velocity information from a periocular blood vessel,

a component configured to, based on the optic nerve sheath diameter and blood velocity information, produce an assessment of the subject'"'"'s intracranial pressure.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein a component comprises an ultrasound transducer, an x-ray emitter, a magnetic resonance imager, a computed tomography scanner, optical coherence tomography scanner, or any combination thereof.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the component comprises an ultrasound transducer.

18. A system, comprising:

a first device configured to obtain, from a subject, optic nerve sheath diameter information;

a second device configured to obtain, from a subject, blood velocity information from a periocular blood vessel, and

the system further configured to, based on the optic nerve sheath diameter and blood velocity information, produce an assessment of the subject'"'"'s intracranial pressure.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first device, the second device, or both, comprises an ultrasound transducer, an x-ray emitter, a magnetic resonance imager, a computed tomography scanner, optical coherence tomography scanner, or any combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first device, the second device, or both, comprises an ultrasound transducer.