Pictorial-display electrocardiographic interpretation system and method

• US 6,516,220 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inovise Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Galen, Peter M., Selvester, Ronald H., Solomon, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/803,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 600/509, 600/523
• US Class Current: 600/523
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor

Abstract

A computer-based system and method wherein subject-specific ECG data is acquired, and forms the direct basis for generating an output signal that is effective to generate a generally representational, pictorial view of at least a portion of the heart. In a specific embodiment illustrated and described herein, an interpretation is performed in relation to creating such a signal, which interpretation uses some or all of the following kinds of information: hypertrophy information; general population reference physiological/anatomical data; and subject-specific physiological/anatomical and medical-history data.

Claims

1. A cardio-picturing system comprising

input structure constructed to receive a selected collection of a subject'"'"'s ECG-related data, and

computer-like structure operatively connected to said input structure, adapted to examine and receive such data, and to produce therefrom an output signal which is capable of effecting, as derived from such received data, a generally representational, pictorial display of at least an internal volumetric/three-dimensional portion of the subject'"'"'s heart.

2. A cardio-picturing method comprising

acquiring a selected collection of a subject'"'"'s ECG-related data, and

from such acquired data, and using computer-like structure, producing an output signal which is capable of effecting a generally representational, pictorial display of at least an internal volumetric/three-dimensional portion of the subject'"'"'s heart.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the stated representational pictorial display takes the form of visual slices, or slide-section components, of a person'"'"'s heart.

4. A method for picturing anomaly sites in a heart comprising

acquiring ECG data that contains, inherently, the signature of a selected anomaly, identifying such a signature in such data, and

utilizing ECG data and that identified signature, creating a pictorial volumetric/three-dimensional representation of the heart marked with a pictorial showing of the anomaly.

5. Apparatus (system) for picturing an anomaly in a subject'"'"'s heart comprising

input structure for receiving a subject'"'"'s ECG data,

an analyzer operatively coupled to said input structure for identifying the signature of a selected anomaly, and

output structure operatively coupled to said analyzer, designed to generate, from such data and such a signature, a pictorial volumetric/three-dimensional representation of the anomaly within the heart.