OBTAINING CARDIOVASCULAR PARAMETERS USING ARTERIOLES RELATED TRANSIENT TIME

• US 20160367154A1
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eilon Rahman, Reuven Gladshtein
• Original Assignee: Vita Sentry Ltd
• Inventors: Gladshtein, Reuven, Rahman, Eilon
• Granted Patent: US 10,165,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1233 for measuring blood flow, e.g. at the retina
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1241 specially adapted for observation of ocular blood flow, e.g. by fluorescein angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• 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 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14555 specially adapted for the eye fundus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14556 by fluorescence A61B5/14555 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4238 stomach
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4255 Intestines, colon or appendix
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 : Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 : Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6871 : Stomach
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6873 : Intestine
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 33/30 : comprising parts inside the hoses only F16L33/24 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus for monitoring equivalent inner diameter of arteriole-like blood vessels and related cardiovascular parameters, where by measuring a time difference between signals from larger blood vessels, like arteries (excluding arterioles), and smaller blood vessels, similar to arterioles by their physiologic properties, also taking concurrent heart rate value into account.

In case the signal from larger blood vessels is measured geometrically relatively far from such a signal from smaller, arteriole-like blood vessels, said measured time difference may be evaluated by several ways in order to separate a PWTT component of time differences, obtained from said measured signals, from transient time component, including information about changes of diameter in arteriole-like vessels. It also may be effective defining more correctly the role of blood viscosity in monitored vascular condition of patient.

Claims

1. A system, indicative or monitoring changes of equivalent inner diameter of arteriole-like blood vessels, the system comprising:

a multiplicity of at least one sensor adapted to obtain signals, correlative to at least one changing over time blood flow related parameter of blood circulation in a subject;

wherein said multiplicity of at least one sensor is adapted to be placed relative to at least one body portion of said measured subject, including branching blood vessels of blood circulation in subject;

wherein said multiplicity of at least one sensor further adapted to obtain at least two signals concurrently, a first and a second signal, from said at least one body portion;

wherein said multiplicity of at least one sensor further adapted to obtain said at least two signals from said at least one body portion of said subject, wherein an artery-like blood vessels contribute more, relative to arteriole-like blood vessels, for said first signal than for said second signal;

at least one processor, adapted to obtain differences between said at least two signals; and

said at least one processor further adapted to find transient time based differences from said differences;

said at least one processor further adapted to indicate or monitor changes of equivalent inner diameter value of said arteriole-like blood vessels by coupling data about said transient time based differences with concurrent heart rate value.

2. A system according to claim 1, where said blood vessels supply tissues of same body region or same organ.

3. A system according to claim 1, where said differences are time differences or phase differences.

4. A system according to claim 3, where said system adapted to obtain plurality of said signals during preselected time range.

16. A system according to claim 3, also comprising:

obtained information about at least one physiologically influencing to subject over time parameter;

finding correlation between changes over time of said at least one parameter and changes over time in said indicated equivalent inner diameter of arteriole-like blood vessels.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said parameter represents a substance entering to subject body.

18. A system of claim 16, wherein said parameter represents behavioral parameter.

19. A system according to claim 3, where said at least one processor uses also blood viscosity value of measured subject.

5. An apparatus, indicative or monitoring changes of equivalent inner diameter of arteriole-like blood vessels, said apparatus comprising:

multiplicity of at least one sensor, including at least one transmitter and at least one receiver, geometrically adapted to sample at least two non-identical volumes of a subject; and

wherein each of said at least one receiver collects at least one signal, transmitted to at least one tissue volume of said subject, from said at least one transmitter;

said multiplicity of at least one sensor, adapted to obtain concurrent signals from said at least two non-identical tissue volumes, wherein artery-like blood vessels contribute more, relative to arteriole-like blood vessels, to a signal from said first tissue volume than to a signal from said second volume;

at least one processor, adapted to obtain differences between said at least two signals; and

said at least one processor further adapted to find transient time based differences from said differences;

said at least one processor further adapted to indicate or monitor changes of equivalent inner diameter of said arteriole-like blood vessels by using said transient time based differences coupled with a concurrent heart rate value.

6. An apparatus of claim 5, wherein said differences are time differences or phase differences.

7. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one from said transmitters and receivers of said sensor is geometrically placed to sample from same tissue volume, related to same body region or organ.

20. An apparatus according to claim 6, where said at least one processor uses also blood viscosity value of measured subject.

8. A method for indication or monitoring changes in an equivalent inner diameter value of arteriole-like blood vessels, the method comprising:

a) obtaining a first signal, correlative to at least one changing over time blood flow related parameter of blood circulation in artery-like blood vessels and in arteriole-like blood vessels, belonging to a same branching tree of blood circulation;

b) concurrently obtaining at least one additional signal, correlative to at least one changing over time blood flow related parameter of blood circulation in artery-like blood vessels and in arteriole-like blood vessels, belong to the same said branching tree of blood circulation, where said artery-like blood vessels contributing more, relative to said arteriole-like blood vessels, for the said additional signal, than for the first signal;

c) obtaining an approximately concurrent heart rate value;

d) obtaining a time differences or phase differences between said the first signal and said at least one additional signal;

e) obtaining transient time value of measured arteriole-like blood vessels from said time differences or phase differences and f) using said transient time value, coupled with said heart rate value, to indicate or monitor changes in an equivalent inner diameter value for the arteriole-like blood vessels.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said measurements are made from a surface of the subject'"'"'s body, a first set of measurements corresponds to said at least one changing over time blood flow related parameter, obtained from a depth of the first said measured tissue volume, and at least one additional set of measurements corresponds to the same said at least one changing over time blood flow related parameter, obtained from a depth of the at least one additional said measured tissue volume.

10. A system for indication or monitoring at least one vascular or cardiovascular condition, said system comprising at least one processor, configured to process plurality of image, movie or scanned data from at least one body portion, including branching blood vessels, wherein said at least one processor is adapted to indicate or monitor from said plurality of images, movie or scanned data:

changes in at least one parameter, correlative to at least one changing in time blood flow related process from at least one artery-like blood vessel;

concurrent changes in said at least one parameter, correlative to said at least one changing in time blood flow related process from at least one arteriole-like blood vessel or artery-like blood vessel, branched off from same said at least one artery-like blood vessel;

differences between said first and second measured parameters;

transient time based differences from said differences;

equivalent inner diameter of said branched blood vessels by using said transient time based differences coupled with concurrent heart rate value.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one processor configured to process said changes in at least one changing in time parameter, correlative to at least one blood flow related process from said at least one branched artery-like or arteriole-like blood vessel by intensity variations in said data of said at least one branched artery-like blood vessel.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one processor configured to process said changes in at least one changing in time parameter, correlative to at least one blood flow related process from said at least one branched artery-like or arteriole-like blood vessel by geometric variations in image data of said at least one branched artery-like blood vessel.

14. A system according to claim 10, wherein said blood vessels are of ocular fundus and said at least one blood flow related process is propagation process of fluorescent component during fluorescent angiography or auto fluorescent imaging of said at least one retinal artery-like blood vessel and at least one retinal arteriole-like blood vessel, brunched off from said retinal artery-like blood vessel.

13. A method for indication or monitoring at least one vascular or cardiovascular condition, said method comprising:

a) transferring image, movie or scanned data collected from body portion, including branching blood vessels, to at least one processor, configured to process said data;

b) extracting by means of said processor, at least one blood flow related parameter, changing over time, said parameter correlative to at least one blood flow related process occurring in at least one artery-like blood vessel;

c) extracting by means of said at least one processor, said at least one blood flow related parameter, changing over time concurrently with said above parameter, said parameter correlative to at least one blood flow related process occurring in at least one arteriole-like blood vessel, branched off directly or indirectly from said at least one artery-like blood vessel;

d) finding differences between said at least first and second measured parameters;

e) finding transient time based differences from said differences;

f) estimating changes in inner diameter value of said at least one arteriole-like blood vessel, by using said transient time based differences, coupled with heart rate value, obtained from said data or concurrently with measurements of said data.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein said blood vessels are of ocular fundus and said at least one blood flow related process is propagation process of fluorescent component during fluorescent angiography or auto fluorescent imaging of said at least one retinal artery-like blood vessel and at least one retinal arteriole-like blood vessel, brunched off from said retinal artery-like blood vessel.

21. An apparatus, indicative or monitoring changes of equivalent inner diameter of arteriole-like blood vessels, said apparatus comprising:

plurality of sensors, adapted to obtain at least two signals of a subject, wherein at least one of said at least two signals is from peripheral part of blood circulation of subject body;

each of said plurality of sensors, adapted to obtain concurrent signals, correlative or indicative to blood flow propagation in subject;

and at least one processor, adapted to indicate changes, related to peripheral vasculature by using time differences or phase differences between said at least two signals, coupled with concurrent heart rate value.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, where said at least one processor further adapted to find transient time differences from said time differences or phase differences.