Brain assessment monitor

• US 6,887,199 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Active Signal Technologies, Inc
• Original Assignee: Active Signal Technologies, Inc
• Inventors: Rubin, Gregg R., Lutian, Joseph J., Sewell, John M., Passaro, Edward J., Kuhn, Philip M., Waskey, Terence V., Cooke, Arthur V., Bridger, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US10/095,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301, 600544-545, 600/500, 600/587, 600/503, 600/437, 600/586, 600/561, 600/485, 128/920, 128/898
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4076 Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system A61B5/4821, A61B5/4824 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/001 Detecting cranial noise, e.g. caused by aneurism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A non-invasive brain assessment monitor is disclosed. An embodiment of the monitor includes a head-mounted brain sensor which passively senses acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain. A reference sensor may be mounted at another location on the patient'"'"'s body to sense an arterial pulse, and the signals from the brain sensor and reference sensor may be compared. Another embodiment includes transmitters which generate acoustic signals in the brain which are also detected by the brain sensor. The brain assessment monitor may be used to detect conditions such as head trauma, stroke and hemorrhage.

Claims

1. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain, wherein the brain sensor measures frequencies of up to about 20 kHz; and

means for analyzing the acoustic signals in order to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or disease.

2. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, wherein the brain sensor measures frequencies of from about 0.1 to about 1,000 Hz.

3. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, wherein the brain sensor measures frequencies of from about 0.5 Hz to about 100 Hz.

4. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, wherein the brain injury and/or brain disease comprises a stroke.

5. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, wherein the brain injury and/or brain disease comprises a head trauma.

6. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, wherein the brain injury and/or brain disease comprises a hemorrhage.

7. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, wherein the analyzing means includes means for analyzing attenuation of the acoustic signals.

8. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, wherein the analyzing means includes means for analyzing distortion of the acoustic signals.

9. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, wherein the analyzing means includes means for comparing positive and negative components of the acoustic signals.

10. The brain assessment monitor of claim 9, wherein a peak ratio of the positive and negative components is determined.

11. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one reference sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from another portion of the patient'"'"'s body; and

means for comparing the acoustic signals from the brain sensor and reference sensor.

12. The brain assessment monitor of claim 11, wherein the reference sensor comprises an arterial pulse sensor.

13. The brain assessment monitor of claim 12, wherein the arterial pulse sensor is adapted for mounting on a wrist of the patient.

14. The brain assessment monitor of claim 11, wherein the signals from the reference sensor are subtracted from the signals from the brain sensor.

15. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, further comprising at least one actuator for generating additional acoustic signals in the brain.

16. The brain assessment monitor of claim 1, wherein the monitor is portable.

17. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted for mounting on a patient'"'"'s head, wherein the brain sensor measures frequencies of up to about 20 kHz;

a reference sensor configured and adapted for mounting at another location on the patient'"'"'s body; and

means for comparing signals from the brain sensor and the reference sensor to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease.

18. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the brain sensor senses acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through the patient'"'"'s brain.

19. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the reference sensor senses an arterial pulse of the patient.

20. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the brain sensor senses acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through the patient'"'"'s brain, and the reference sensor senses an arterial pulse of the patient.

21. The brain assessment monitor of claim 20, wherein the signals from the reference sensor are subtracted from the signals from the brain sensor.

22. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the brain sensor measures frequencies of from about 0.1 to about 1,000 Hz.

23. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the brain sensor measures frequencies of from about 0.5 to about 100 Hz.

24. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the brain injury and/or brain disease comprises a stroke.

25. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the brain injury and/or brain disease comprises a head trauma.

26. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the brain injury and/or brain disease comprises a hemorrhage.

27. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the comparing means includes means for analyzing attenuation of signals from the brain sensor.

28. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the comparing means includes means for analyzing distortion of signals from the brain sensor.

29. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the comparing means comprises means for comparing positive and negative components of signals from the brain sensor.

30. The brain assessment monitor of claim 29, wherein a peak ratio of the positive and negative components is determined.

31. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, further comprising at least one actuator for generating acoustic signals in the brain.

32. The brain assessment monitor of claim 17, wherein the monitor is portable.

33. A method of monitoring brain injury and/or brain disease of a patient, the method comprising:

mounting a non-invasive brain sensor capable of measuring frequencies of up to about 20 kHz on the head of the patient to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow characteristics through a patient'"'"'s brain;

sensing acoustic signals with the brain sensor generated from pulsing blood flow through the patient'"'"'s brain; and

analyzing the acoustic signals to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease.

34. A method of monitoring brain injury and/or brain disease of a patient, the method comprising:

mounting a non-invasive brain sensor to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow characteristics capable of measuring frequencies of up to about 20 kHz on the patient'"'"'s head to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow characteristics through a patient'"'"'s brain;

mounting a reference sensor at another location on the patient'"'"'s body; and

comparing signals from the brain sensor and the reference sensor to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease.

35. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain; and

means for analyzing the acoustic signals in order to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease without the application of an external signal, wherein the analyzing means includes means for analyzing attenuation of the acoustic signals.

36. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain; and

means for analyzing the acoustic signals in order to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease without the application of an external signal, wherein the analyzing means includes means for analyzing distortion of the acoustic signals.

37. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain; and

means for analyzing the acoustic signals in order to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease without the application of an external signal, wherein the analyzing means includes means for comparing positive and negative components of the acoustic signals.

38. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain;

means for analyzing the acoustic signals in order to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease;

at least one reference sensor, adapted for mounting on a wrist of a patient and comprising an arterial pulse sensor, for sensing acoustic signals generated from another portion of the patient'"'"'s body; and

means for comparing the acoustic signals from the brain sensor and reference sensor without the application of an external signal.

39. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain;

means for analyzing the acoustic signals in order to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease without the application of an external signal; and

at least one actuator for generating additional acoustic signals in the brain.

40. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain for mounting on a patient'"'"'s head;

a reference sensor configured and adapted for mounting at another location on the patient'"'"'s body; and

means for comparing signals from the brain sensor and the reference sensor to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease without the application of an external signal, wherein the comparing means includes means for analyzing attenuation of signals from the brain sensor.

41. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain for mounting on a patient'"'"'s head;

a reference sensor configured and adapted for mounting at another location on the patient'"'"'s body; and

means for comparing signals from the brain sensor and the reference sensor to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease without the application of an external signal, wherein the comparing means includes means for analyzing distortion of signals from the brain sensor.

42. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain for mounting on a patient'"'"'s head;

a reference sensor configured and adapted for mounting at another location on the patient'"'"'s body; and

means for comparing signals from the brain sensor and the reference sensor to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease without the application of an external signal, wherein the comparing means comprises means for comparing positive and negative components of signals from the brain sensor.

43. A non-invasive brain assessment monitor comprising:

a brain sensor configured and adapted to sense acoustic signals generated from pulsing blood flow through a patient'"'"'s brain for mounting on a patient'"'"'s head;

a reference sensor configured and adapted for mounting at another location on the patient'"'"'s body; and

means for comparing signals from the brain sensor and the reference sensor to determine whether the patient has undergone a brain injury and/or brain disease without the application of an external signal; and

at least one actuator for generating acoustic signals in the brain.