MICROWAVE MONITORING OF HEART FUNCTION

• US 20160317054A1
• Filed: 07/08/2016
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZOLL Medical Israel Limited (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kyma Medical Technologies Ltd. (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Weinstein, Uriel, Bernstein, Assaf, Cohen, Eyal
• Granted Patent: US 10,588,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0217 Electrolyte containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/14 Coupling media or elements to improve sensor contact with skin or tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/085 for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36578 controlled by mechanical motion of the heart wall, e.g. measured by an accelerometer or microphone

Abstract

Diagnostic apparatus includes a plurality of antennas, which are configured to be disposed at different, respective locations on a thorax of a living body so as to direct radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic waves from different, respective directions toward a heart in the body and to output RF signals responsively to the waves that are scattered from the heart. Processing circuitry is configured to process the RF signals over time so as to provide a multi-dimensional measurement of a movement of the heart.

Claims

1-59. -59. (canceled)

60. A radio-frequency (RF) based diagnostic apparatus for assessing a target tissue comprising:

one or more antennas configured for arrangement on a body of a patient so as to at least one of;

direct radio frequency (RF) waves into a target tissue, and

receive RF reflections thereof from the target tissue,

and

output one or more signals responsive to received reflected RF waves;

processing circuitry configured to at least one of transmit the signals to a remote device and determine an assessment of the target tissue based on the one or more signals; and

a coupling material configure for arrangement between a body-facing surface of the one or more antennas and the skin of the patient.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the coupling material comprises a dielectric material.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the dielectric material comprises a non-conductive material.

63. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the coupling material is configured with a dielectric constant that provides a matching impedance for the RF waves.

64. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the coupling material is configured with a dielectric constant of between 30 and 75.

65. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the coupling material is configured as a gel.

66. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the coupling material is configured as an adhesive.

69. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the apparel comprises a vest.

71. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein at least a portion of the body coupling device comprises a dielectric material.

72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the dielectric material comprises a non-conductive material.

73. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the dielectric material is configured with a dielectric constant that provides a matching impedance for the RF waves.

74. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the dielectric material is configured with a dielectric constant of between 30 and 75.

67. A radio-frequency (RF) based diagnostic apparatus for assessing a target tissue comprising:

a housing;

one or more antennas configured to be disposed on a body of a patient so as to at least one of;

direct radio frequency (RF) waves into a target tissue, and

receive RF reflections thereof from the target tissue,

and

output one or more signals responsive to received reflected RF waves;

processing circuitry configured to at least one of transmit the signals to a remote device and determine an assessment of the target tissue based on the one or more signals; and

a body coupling device, wherein;

the housing accommodates at least one of the one or more antennas and the processing circuitry, and

the body coupling device is configured to place the one or more antenna adjacent the skin of the body proximate the target tissue.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein body coupling device comprises apparel.

70. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the apparel is configured to accommodate at least one of the housing and the one or more antennas.

75. A method for coupling a radio-frequency (RF) based diagnostic apparatus for assessing a target tissue to a user comprising:

providing an RF based diagnostic apparatus;

coupling the RF based diagnostic apparatus to the user, wherein a coupling material is arranged between a body-facing surface of the one or more antennas and the skin of the patient.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the RF based diagnostic apparatus comprises:

one or more antennas configured for arrangement on a body of a patient so as to at least one of;

direct radio frequency (RF) waves into a target tissue, and

receive RF reflections thereof from the target tissue,

and

output one or more signals responsive to received reflected RF waves;

processing circuitry configured to at least one of transmit the signals to a remote device and determine an assessment of the target tissue based on the one or more signals; and

the coupling material.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein the coupling material comprises a dielectric material.

78. The method of claim 77, wherein the dielectric material comprises a non-conductive material.

79. The method of claim 77, wherein the coupling material is configured with a dielectric constant that provides a matching impedance for the RF waves.

80. The method of claim 77, wherein the coupling material is configured with a dielectric constant of between 30 and 75.