Method and apparatus for automated vascular diameter determination
First Claim
1. A method for determining a diameter of a first region enclosed in a second region internal to a living organism, wherein the first and second regions consist of different cellular matter, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) generating a plurality of trial diameters, each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters having an inner and outer region, and each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters having a different length;
b) generating an ultrasonic measurement of the inner region and the outer region for each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters;
c) determining a difference of the ultrasonic measurements corresponding to the inner and outer regions of each trial diameter of the plurality of diameters; and
d) selecting a trial diameter from the plurality of diameters that approximately corresponds to the diameter of the first region, wherein a difference of the ultrasonic measurements for the inner and outer regions is greatest for the trial diameter approximately corresponding to the diameter of the first region, relative to other trial diameters of said plurality of trial diameters.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for automated measuring of a diameter of a first region enclosed in a second region internal to a living organism, wherein the first and second regions consist of different cellular matter. One embodiment of the invention includes generating a plurality of trial diameters, wherein each trial diameter includes an inner and outer region and has a different length. An ultrasonic measurement is taken of the inner region and the outer region for each trial diameter. The difference is determined for the ultrasonic measurements corresponding to the inner and outer regions of each trial diameter. The trial diameter which most closely corresponds to the diameter of the first region is then selected, wherein the difference of the ultrasonic measurements corresponding to the inner and outer regions is greatest for the trial diameter which most closely corresponds to the diameter of the first region.
22 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for determining a diameter of a first region enclosed in a second region internal to a living organism, wherein the first and second regions consist of different cellular matter, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) generating a plurality of trial diameters, each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters having an inner and outer region, and each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters having a different length; b) generating an ultrasonic measurement of the inner region and the outer region for each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters; c) determining a difference of the ultrasonic measurements corresponding to the inner and outer regions of each trial diameter of the plurality of diameters; and d) selecting a trial diameter from the plurality of diameters that approximately corresponds to the diameter of the first region, wherein a difference of the ultrasonic measurements for the inner and outer regions is greatest for the trial diameter approximately corresponding to the diameter of the first region, relative to other trial diameters of said plurality of trial diameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions, the plurality of sequences of instructions including a first sequence of instruction for determining a diameter of a first region enclosed in a second region internal to a living organism, wherein the first and second regions consist of different cellular matter, the first sequence of instructions when executed by a processor, cause said processor to perform the steps of:
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a) generating a plurality of trial diameters, each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters having an inner and outer region, and each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters having a different length; b) generating an ultrasonic measurement of the inner region and the outer region for each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters; c) determining a difference of the ultrasonic measurements corresponding to the inner and outer regions of each trial diameter of the plurality of diameters; and d) selecting a trial diameter from the plurality of diameters that approximately corresponds to the diameter of the first region, wherein a difference of the ultrasonic measurements for the inner and outer regions is greatest for the trial diameter approximately corresponding to the diameter of the first region, relative to other trial diameters of said plurality of trial diameters. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer system configured to determine a diameter of a first region enclosed in a second region internal to a living organism, wherein the first and second regions consist of different cellular matter, the computer system comprising:
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a first device configured to generate a plurality of trial diameters, each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters having an inner and outer region, and each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters having a different length; a second device configured to generate an ultrasonic measurement of the inner region and the outer region for each trial diameter within said plurality of trial diameters; a third device configured to determine a difference of the ultrasonic measurements corresponding to the inner and outer regions of each trial diameter of the plurality of diameters; and a fourth device configured to select a trial diameter from the plurality of diameters that approximately corresponds to the diameter of the first region, wherein a difference of the ultrasonic measurements for the inner and outer regions is greatest for the trial diameter approximately corresponding to the diameter of the first region, relative to other trial diameters of said plurality of trial diameters. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification