Diagnostic apparatus for analyzing arterial pulse waves

• US 6,767,329 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Amano, Kazuhiko, Kasahara, Hiroshi, Kodama, Kazuo, Ishiyama, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US10/002,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 600/485, 600/490, 600/493-6, 600/500-3
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02108 from analysis of pulse wave characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4854 Diagnosis based on concepts of traditional oriental medicine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6806 Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

The present invention relates to a diagnosis apparatus for analyzing arterial pulse waves comprising a database 26 in which is stored data showing the relationship between data representing a pulse wave of a living body and teaching data representing conditions of the living body; and a micro-computer 21 for outputting teaching data corresponding to the pulse wave detected from the living body in the teaching data on the basis of the pulse wave detected from the living body and the stored data inside database 26. As a result, it becomes possible to perform diagnoses equivalent to a skilled doctor.

Claims

1. A pulse wave analyzing apparatus, comprising:

waveform storage means for successively storing sequential data of pulse waves of a living body according to a predetermined writing speed,

playback means for dividing said sequential data into sequential data each corresponding to one pulse, and reading each of the divided sequential data from said waveform storage means, and

analyzing means for computing waveform parameters for pulse waves corresponding to each pulse, based on sequential data corresponding to each pulse and read from said playback means; and

wherein said playback means repeatedly reads out said sequential data over several times at a read out speed higher than said writing speed.

2. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said analyzing means computes the spectrum of said sequential data, and outputs the sequential data spectrum as said waveform parameter.

3. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said apparatus is provided with a sine wave generating means for generating and outputting a sine wave signal having a frequency of one integer component of the read out period of the sequential data corresponding to one pulse, and said analyzing means detects the phase of the sequential data spectrum on the basis of said sign wave signal.

4. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said playback means reads out said sequential data for one pulsation from said waveform storage means at a speed proportional to the data length thereof, and said analyzing means detects the spectrum of the frequency of one integer component of the read out period of said sequential data corresponding to one pulse.

5. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 4, wherein said playback means successively changes the readout speed to correspond to a level of the respective spectrums to be detected, and said analyzing means detects for each change, the spectrum of a fixed frequency of one integer component of the read out period of said sequential data corresponding to one pulse.

6. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said analyzing means

(1) utilizes an electrical model simulating the arterial system from the proximal section to the distal section of a living body,

(2) enters electrical signals representing the pressure waveforms at the proximal section into said model;

(3) computes the values of the elements of said model so as to duplicate the waveform corresponding to sequential data read from said playback means; and

(4) outputs these computed results as said waveform parameters.

7. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 6, wherein said electrical model comprises:

(i) a first resistor simulating vascular resistance due to blood flow viscosity in said proximal section of said arterial system;

(ii) an inductor simulating blood flow momentum in said proximal section of said arterial system;

(iii) a capacitor simulating vascular elasticity in said proximal section of said arterial system; and

(iv) a second resistor simulating vascular resistance due to blood flow viscosity in said distal section of said electrical circuit; and

a series circuit with said first resistor and said inductor in series, and a parallel circuit with said capacitor and said second resistor in parallel, are successively arranged in series between a pair of input terminals of said electrical model.

8. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said analyzing means comprises:

distortion computing means for computing a waveform distortion factor corresponding to each pulse on the basis of sequential data corresponding to each pulse; and

outputting means for outputting circulatory dynamic parameters on the basis of the computed waveform distortion factor.

9. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said analyzing means outputs an amplitude value and phase value at the peak point of a pulse wave for each pulse.

10. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is provided with a reading means for reading out sequential data from a storage media.

11. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a non-invasive pulse wave detecting means for detecting the pulse wave and obtaining the sequential data.

12. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said analyzing means computes and outputs the sum mean value of the waveform parameters corresponding to each pulse for predetermined pulse number units.

13. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said analyzing means computes and outputs a mean movement value of the waveform parameters corresponding to said each pulse.

14. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is provided with writing means for writing said circulatory dynamic parameters into a storage media.

15. The pulse wave analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said living body is a living human body.

16. A diagnostic apparatus, comprising:

analyzer means for determining waveform parameters showing the waveform of a pulse from information representing a pulse wave of a living body;

diagnostic means for performing a diagnosis of a condition of said living body on the basis of said waveform parameters;

memory means for sequentially storing both information relating to the condition of said living body diagnosed by said diagnostic means, and data relating to said diagnosis; and

wherein said diagnostic means outputs information representing a degree of severity of a condition of said living body; and

further comprising a means for outputting visual information corresponding to said degree of severity of the condition;

wherein said visual information expresses said degree of severity of the condition with color; and

wherein said diagnostic means outputs information representing a degree of severity of a plurality of conditions of said living body, and wherein said means for outputting visual information determines a color expressed in the visual information in accordance with a combination of information representing the degree of the severity of each condition.