Device and method for embolus detection
First Claim
1. A device for embolus detection by means of ultrasonic signals which are reflected at a flow of fluid in a body, comprising:
- an ultrasonic unit which is adapted for periodically producing ultrasonic monitoring signals for a suitably designed ultrasonic transmitting device and for receiving a first signal reflected at a first position corresponding to the flow of fluid in a vessel;
a signal evaluation unit which is connected downstream of the ultrasonic unit for preparing and visually and/or acoustically providing the reflected first signal;
a detector unit which co-operates with the signal evaluation unit and which is adapted to detect an embolus in the flow of fluid and to output a detection signal as a reaction thereto;
wherein the ultrasonic unit is designed for additionally receiving a second signal from the ultrasonic transmitting device, which is reflected at a second position in the body that lies outside the vessel and the flow fluid; and
the detector unit is designed to detect an embolus as a reaction to the first and the second signal in such a way that output of the detection signal occurs only if a characteristic signal change, corresponding to a possible embolus, in one of the first and second signals occurs outside a minimum time interval from a signal change in the respective other signal, or the characteristic signal change occurs in only one of the signals.
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Abstract
A device for detecting embolus uses ultrasonic signals reflected on a fluid flow in a body. The device features a first ultrasonic unit for receiving a first signal generated in a first position in a vessel and a second ultrasonic unit for additional reception of a second signal generated in a second position in the body. The device also features a detector unit for detecting the embolus. The detector unit is triggered only if the time interval between the characteristic changes in the first and second signal, corresponding to a possible embolus, exceeds a minimum value, or if the characteristic signal change occurs in one of the signals only.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A device for embolus detection by means of ultrasonic signals which are reflected at a flow of fluid in a body, comprising:
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an ultrasonic unit which is adapted for periodically producing ultrasonic monitoring signals for a suitably designed ultrasonic transmitting device and for receiving a first signal reflected at a first position corresponding to the flow of fluid in a vessel;
a signal evaluation unit which is connected downstream of the ultrasonic unit for preparing and visually and/or acoustically providing the reflected first signal;
a detector unit which co-operates with the signal evaluation unit and which is adapted to detect an embolus in the flow of fluid and to output a detection signal as a reaction thereto;
wherein the ultrasonic unit is designed for additionally receiving a second signal from the ultrasonic transmitting device, which is reflected at a second position in the body that lies outside the vessel and the flow fluid; and
the detector unit is designed to detect an embolus as a reaction to the first and the second signal in such a way that output of the detection signal occurs only if a characteristic signal change, corresponding to a possible embolus, in one of the first and second signals occurs outside a minimum time interval from a signal change in the respective other signal, or the characteristic signal change occurs in only one of the signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of embolus detection by way of ultrasonic signals which are reflected at a flow of fluid in a body, comprising the following steps:
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periodically emitting ultrasonic vessel monitoring signals by way of a suitably adapted probe;
receiving and preparing the signals reflected at a flow of fluid in a vessel to be observed, and evaluating the prepared signals and outputting a detection signal for a detected embolus as a reaction to the received signals;
additionally receiving a reference signal which is reflected at a position in the body outside the vessel to be observed; and
comparing the reference signal to the signals reflected at the flow of fluid and determining an embolus as a reaction to the existence of a characteristic signal change, corresponding to an embolus, in the reference signal and/or as a reaction to a time interval between the characteristic signal change in the reference signal and a corresponding signal change in the signals reflected at the flow of fluid.
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Specification