Method of measuring a biomagnetic field, method of analyzing a measured biomagnetic field, and method of displaying biomagnetic field data, and apparatus therefor

• US 6,711,281 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Hiroyuki, Tsukada, Keiji, Kawasaki, Takafumi, Machida, Kazuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choobin, Barry
• Application Number:
  US10/282,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20030063088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 382/128, 382/131, 128/922, 345/440.1, 345/94, 250/455.11, 250/461.2, 250/491.1, 356/39, 377/10, 377/13, 600/409, 324/248, 424/9.3
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/243 specially adapted for magnetocardiographic [MCG] signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/10 Plotting field distribution ; Measuring field distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/922 including image analysis

Abstract

A biomagnetic field map display apparatus for measuring a biomagnetic field generated by a biotest sample at positions arranged in rows and columns and displaying a magnetic field map obtained by processing the measured biomagnetic field. An analysis data display area waveform-displays the measured biomagnetic field at channels in a row or a column of channels which are arranged in rows and columns so as to respectively correspond to the positions. A particular channel is designated as a reference channel for an averaging process out of the plurality of channels or different channels therefrom at which different biosignals from those of the biomagnetic field are acquired from the biotest sample. Means for averaging-processing the measured biomagnetic field using the designated particular channel as the reference channel displays in the analysis data display area a map on the averaging-processed biomagnetic field.

Claims

1. A biomagnetic field map display apparatus for measuring a biomagnetic field generated by a biotest sample at a plurality of positions arranged in rows and columns and displaying a magnetic field map obtained by processing the measured biomagnetic field, comprising:

(1) an analysis data display area which waveform-displays the measured biomagnetic field at channels in a row or a column of a plurality of channels which are arranged in rows and columns so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of positions, a particular channel being designated as a reference channel for an averaging process out of the plurality of channels or different channels therefrom at which different biosignals from those of the biomagnetic field are acquired from the biotest sample; and

(2) means for averaging-processing the measured biomagnetic field using the designated particular channel as the reference channel to display in the analysis data display area a map on the averaging-processed biomagnetic field.

2. A biomagnetic field map display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the different biosignals include an electrocardiogram wave signal, a brain wave signal, a blood stream wave signal, or a blood pressure wave signal.

3. A biomagnetic field map display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

(1) a process function display area showing process function items including measurement;

(2) an operating region display area which displays operating items respectively corresponding to the measured biomagnetic field and its processed biomagnetic field, and is adapted to change contents to be displayed in the operating region display area by selecting the process function items of the process function display area; and

(3) means for carrying out a display process for performing a process function display in the process function display area, an analysis data display in the analysis data display area, and an operating item display in the operating item display area on a same screen.

4. A biomagnetic field map display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the process function display area includes a menu bar region and a tool bar region, each menu of the menu bar region being displayed as a pull-down menu by selecting a corresponding menu button, and the tool bar region including icons indicating predetermined menus.

5. A biomagnetic field map display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the operating region display area includes a channel item defined by rows and columns;

and

wherein a channel to be used as a reference for the averaging process is specified from the channel item.

6. A biomagnetic field map display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the operating region display area includes an averaging condition item;

and

wherein averaging conditions of the averaging process are set from the averaging condition item.

7. A biomagnetic field map display method of measuring a biomagnetic field generated by a biotest sample at a plurality of positions arranged in rows and columns and displaying a magnetic field map obtained by processing the measured biomagnetic field, comprising the steps of:

(1) waveform-displaying in an analysis data display area the measured biomagnetic field at channels in a row or a column of a plurality of channels which are arranged in rows and columns so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of positions;

(2) designating a particular channel as a reference channel for an averaging process out of the plurality of channels or different channels therefrom at which different biosignals from those of the biomagnetic field are acquired from the biotest sample; and

(3) averaging-processing the measured biomagnetic field using the designated particular channel as the reference channel and displaying a map on the averaging-processed biomagnetic field in the analysis data displaying area.

8. A biomagnetic field map display method according to claim 7, wherein the different biosignals include an electrocardiogram wave signal, a brain wave signal, a blood stream wave signal, or a blood pressure wave signal.

9. A biomagnetic field map displaying apparatus for measuring a biomagnetic field generated by a biotest sample at a plurality of positions arranged in rows and columns and displaying a magnetic field map obtained by processing the measured biomagnetic field, comprising:

(1) an analysis data display area which displays the measured biomagnetic field and its processed biomagnetic field;

(2) an operating region display area which displays operating items for performing data analysis, the analysis data display area waveform-displaying the measured biomagnetic field at channels in a row or a column of a plurality of channels which are arranged in rows and columns so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of positions, a particular channel being designated as a reference channel for an averaging process out of the plurality of channels; and

(3) means for averaging-processing the measured biomagnetic field using the designated particular channel as the reference channel to prepare and display a contour map of the processed biomagnetic field in the analysis data display area.

10. A biomagnetic field map displaying apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

(1) a process function display area showing process function items including measurement, the operating region display area displaying operating items respectively corresponding to the measured biomagnetic field and its processed biomagnetic field, and is adapted to change contents to be displayed in the operating region display area by selecting the process function items of the process function display area; and

(2) means for carrying out a display process for performing a process function display in the process function display area, an analysis data display in the analysis data display area, and an operating item display in the operating item display area on a same screen.

11. A biomagnetic field map displaying apparatus for measuring a biomagnetic field generated by a biotest sample at a plurality of positions arranged in rows and columns and displaying a magnetic field map obtained by processing the measured biomagnetic field, comprising:

(1) a process function display area showing process function items including measurement;

(2) an operating function display area which is capable of setting and displaying AFA (amplifier/filter/amplifier) parameters;

(3) an analysis data display area which displays data of the measured biomagnetic field under a condition that the AFA parameters are preset; and

(4) means for carrying out a display process for performing a process function display in the process function display area, an operating item display in the operating item display area, and an analysis data display in the analysis data display area on a same screen, the analysis data display being indicative of that of the data of the measured biomagnetic field under the condition that the AFA parameters are preset.

12. A biomagnetic field map displaying apparatus for measuring a biomagnetic field generated by a biotest sample at a plurality of positions arranged in rows and columns and displaying a magnetic field map obtained by processing the measured biomagnetic field, comprising:

(1) a process function display area showing process function items including measurement;

(2) an operating region display area which is capable of executing and releasing a magnetic field lock of each of superconducting quantum interference devices arranged at the plurality of positions;

(3) an analysis data display area which displays data of the measured biomagnetic field at the plurality of positions; and

(4) means for carrying out a display process for performing a process function display in the process function display area, an operating item display in the operating item display area, and an analysis data display in the analysis data display area on a same screen, the analysis data display being indicative of that of the data of the measured biomagnetic field at the plurality of positions.