Method and apparatus for an automated procedure to detect and monitor early-stage glaucoma
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for performing a medical test associated with glaucoma comprisingdisplaying a plurality of visual stimuli for observation by one eye of a patient;
- detecting the patient'"'"'s evoked brain potential signals in response to said stimuli through one or more electrodes attached to the patient'"'"'s scalp;
recording said evoked brain potential signals detected for each stimulus displayed;
performing an automatic digital signal processing for a plurality of said recorded evoked brain potential signals following the recording;
displaying an indication of whether there is a high or low likelihood of glaucoma on a computer monitor based on said digital signal processing;
further whereinthe digital signal processing comprisesobtaining a plurality of fundamental frequency components of a plurality of the evoked brain potential signals corresponding to the periodic visual stimuli;
performing a statistical method to determine a signal-to-noise ratio for said plurality of fundamental frequency components;
comparing said signal-to-noise ratio with a preset critical value; and
determining if the likelihood of glaucoma is high or low based on said comparison.
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Abstract
A system and a method for automated, electrophysiological assessment of visual function in glaucoma suspects and patients is provided using visual evoked potentials measured in response to periodic stimuli presented to the patients. The method may be comprised of the steps of entering a patient'"'"'s information into a computer, initializing a visual stimulus for the patient, recording a plurality of visual evoked potential signals obtained from one or more electrodes attached to the patient'"'"'s scalp, saving and processing digitized data relating to the visual evoked potential signals, and determining if the likelihood of glaucoma is high or low based on the data.
26 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for performing a medical test associated with glaucoma comprising
displaying a plurality of visual stimuli for observation by one eye of a patient; -
detecting the patient'"'"'s evoked brain potential signals in response to said stimuli through one or more electrodes attached to the patient'"'"'s scalp; recording said evoked brain potential signals detected for each stimulus displayed; performing an automatic digital signal processing for a plurality of said recorded evoked brain potential signals following the recording; displaying an indication of whether there is a high or low likelihood of glaucoma on a computer monitor based on said digital signal processing;
further whereinthe digital signal processing comprises obtaining a plurality of fundamental frequency components of a plurality of the evoked brain potential signals corresponding to the periodic visual stimuli; performing a statistical method to determine a signal-to-noise ratio for said plurality of fundamental frequency components; comparing said signal-to-noise ratio with a preset critical value; and determining if the likelihood of glaucoma is high or low based on said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for performing a medical test associated with glaucoma comprising
a computer processor; -
a visual stimulus generating device for presenting visual stimuli to a patient; a visual evoked potential recording and measuring device; a computer monitor; and a computer memory;
whereinthe computer processor is programmed by computer software residing in the computer memory to; display a set of visual stimuli on said visual stimulus generating device for observation by a patient; control said recording and measuring device to record a plurality of visual evoked potential signals in response to said set of visual stimuli detected from one or more electrodes attached to the patients scalp; perform digital signal processing on the plurality of visual evoked potential signals recorded; and display an indication of whether there is a high or low likelihood of glaucoma on said computer monitor based on said digital signal processing; and
further whereinthe digital signal processing comprises obtaining a plurality of fundamental frequency components of a plurality of the evoked brain potential signals corresponding to the periodic visual stimuli; performing a statistical method to determine a signal-to-noise ratio for said plurality of fundamental frequency components; comparing said signal-to-noise ratio with a preset critical value; and determining if the likelihood of glaucoma is high or low based on said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification