DEVICES AND METHODS FOR MONITORING CEREBRAL HEMODYNAMIC CONDITIONS

• US 20120203122A1
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Orsan Medical Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Orsan Medical Technologies, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kinrot, Opher, Shpigelman, Boaz, Ben-Ari, Shlomi
• Application Number:
  US13/252,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20120203122A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0265 using electromagnetic means, e.g. electromagnetic flowmeter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0535 Impedance plethysmography for measuring blood flow A61B5/0295
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity

Abstract

Devices, and methods for synchronizing cerebro-hemodynamic signals are disclosed. In one aspect, the devices and methods may include synchronizing first and second signals indicative of hemodynamic characteristics within a subject'"'"'s brain. Differences may be determined between the synchronized signals and used to provide information for diagnosing changes in arterial occlusion. Differences between the synchronized signals may include differences, such as timing delays, between signature features of the synchronized signals. The first and second signals may be indicative of hemodynamic characteristics in first and second hemisphere'"'"'s of a subject'"'"'s brain. The first and second signals may be bioimpedance signals.

Claims

1. A cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive a first signal associated with a brain of a subject, the first signal being indicative of a hemodynamic characteristic of the subject'"'"'s brain;

receive a second signal associated with the brain of the subject, the second signal being indicative of a hemodynamic characteristic of the subject'"'"'s brain;

synchronize to within 40 ms of each other the first signal and the second signal;

determine at least one difference between the synchronized first signal and the second signal; and

output information for diagnosing changes in cerebral artery occlusion.

2. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal is indicative of a hemodynamic characteristic of a first hemisphere of the subject'"'"'s brain and wherein the second signal is indicative of a hemodynamic characteristic of a second hemisphere of the subject'"'"'s brain.

3. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal and the second signal are bioimpedance signals.

4. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein synchronizing occurs with reference to at least a portion of a cardiac cycle.

5. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 4, wherein synchronizing occurs with reference to a cardiac R wave.

6. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein synchronizing to within 40 ms includes synchronizing to within 10 ms.

7. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein synchronizing to within 40 ms includes synchronizing to within 5 ms.

8. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein synchronizing to within 40 ms includes synchronizing to within 1 ms.

9. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein synchronizing to within 40 ms includes synchronizing to within 0.1 ms.

10. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to detect at least one signature feature in each of the first signal and the second signal.

11. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one signature feature is a plurality of signature features including at least one peak and at least one minimum for the first signal and for the second signal.

12. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of signature features includes a first peak, a second peak, a third peak, a first minimum, a second minimum, and a third minimum for the first signal and for the second signal.

13. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one difference between the synchronized first signal and the second signal is a timing delay between the at least one signature feature in the first signal and the at least one signature feature in the second signal.

14. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to output information for diagnosing a neurological condition based on a change over time of the at least one difference between the synchronized first signal and second signal.

15. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to synchronize the first signal and the second signal in real time, as they are received.

16. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

store the first signal and the second signal in memory;

synchronize the first signal and the second signal in a non-real time manner.

17. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein information for diagnosing changes in cerebral artery occlusion includes information for diagnosing the presence of ischemic stroke.

18. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to diagnose the absence of hemorrhagic stroke based on a diagnosis of the presence of ischemic stroke.

19. A method for diagnosing a neurological condition, comprising

receiving a first signal associated with a brain of a subject, the first signal being indicative of a hemodynamic characteristic of the subject'"'"'s brain;

receiving a second signal associated with the brain of the subject, the second signal being indicative of a hemodynamic characteristic of the subject'"'"'s brain;

synchronizing to within 40 ms of each other the first signal and the second signal;

determining at least one difference between the synchronized first signal and the second signal; and

outputting information for diagnosing a neurological condition based on the at least one difference between the synchronized first signal and the second signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first signal is indicative of a hemodynamic characteristic of a first hemisphere of the subject'"'"'s brain and wherein the second signal is indicative of a hemodynamic characteristic of a second hemisphere of the subject'"'"'s brain.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the first signal and the second signal are bioimpedance signals.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein synchronizing occurs with reference to at least a portion of a cardiac cycle.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein synchronizing occurs with reference to a cardiac R wave.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein synchronizing to within 40 ms includes synchronizing to within 10 ms.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein synchronizing to within 40 ms includes synchronizing to within 5 ms.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein synchronizing to within 40 ms includes synchronizing to within 1 ms.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein synchronizing to within 40 ms includes synchronizing to within 0.1 ms.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising detecting at least one signature feature in the first signal and the second signal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein detecting the at least one signature feature in the first signal and the second signal further comprises detecting a plurality of signature features including at least one peak and at least one minimum for the first signal and for the second signal.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the plurality of signature features includes a first peak, a second peak, a third peak, a first minimum, a second minimum, and a third minimum for the first signal and for the second signal.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one difference between the synchronized first signal and the second signal is a timing delay between the at least one signature feature in the first signal and the at least one signature feature in the second signal.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein outputting information for diagnosing a neurological condition is further based on a change over time of the at least one difference between the synchronized first signal and second signal.

33. The method of claim 19, further comprising synchronizing the first signal and the second signal in real time, as they are received.

34. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

storing the first signal and the second signal in a computer memory;

synchronizing the first signal and the second signal in a non-real time manner.

35. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 19, wherein information for diagnosing changes in cerebral artery occlusion includes information for diagnosing the presence of ischemic stroke.

36. The cerebro-hemodynamic measurement apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured to diagnose the absence of hemorrhagic stroke based on a diagnosis of the presence of ischemic stroke.