Apparatus, system and method for evaluation of esophageal function
First Claim
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1. An external, non-invasive method for monitoring passage of at least one food bolus through an esophagus whereby to evaluate esophageal function of a patient, comprising the steps:
- (a) non-invasively placing proximate an outside surface of the patient at least one ultrasonic transducer;
(b) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic image data of said at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient;
(c) tracking said at least one bolus in said image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by;
(1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (b);
(2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (c)(1); and
(3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus; and
(d) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data.
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Abstract
A method, system and apparatus for ultrasonically imaging boli that are swallowed, as they are passed through the esophagus. The trajectories of the boli are tracked, and image data corresponding to the esophagus thereby identified. Analysis of boli and esophagus image data enable esophageal parameters correlated thereto to be determined.
15 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An external, non-invasive method for monitoring passage of at least one food bolus through an esophagus whereby to evaluate esophageal function of a patient, comprising the steps:
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(a) non-invasively placing proximate an outside surface of the patient at least one ultrasonic transducer; (b) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic image data of said at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient; (c) tracking said at least one bolus in said image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by; (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (b); (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (c)(1); and (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus; and (d) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An external, non-invasive comparative method for assessing an effect of a predetermined factor on esophageal function of a patient, comprising:
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(i) evaluating the esophageal function of said patient by following the steps; (a) non-invasively placing proximate an outside surface of the patient at least one ultrasonic transducer; (b) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic image data of at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient; (c) tracking said at least one bolus in the image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by; (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (b); (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (c)(1); and (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus; and (d) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data, wherein said bolus initially swallowed by the patient conforms to a first condition; (ii) repeating step (i), but wherein the bolus is now swallowed by the patient conforming to a second condition; and (iii) comparing results obtained between steps (i) and (ii). - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
wherein said bolus is initially swallowed by the patient while in a first position; (ii) repeating step (i) but wherein the bolus is preferably a same type of food as in step (i) and is now swallowed by the patient while in a second position; and (iii) comparing results obtained between steps (i) and (ii).
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44. A method as claimed in claim 43, wherein said first position and said second position include any one of sitting, lying down, standing, and bending over.
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39. An external, non-invasive comparative method for assessing an effect of added medication on esophageal function of a patient, comprising:
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(i) evaluating the esophageal function of said patient by following the steps; (a) non-invasively placing proximate an outside surface of the patient at least one ultrasonic transducer that is aligned substantially with a longitudinal axis of the esophagus of the patient; (b) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic image data of at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient; (c) tracking said at least one bolus in the image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by; (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (b); (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (c)(1); and (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus; and (d) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data, wherein said bolus of step (b) does not comprise said added medication; (ii) repeating step (i), wherein the bolus of step (b) now comprises said added medication; and (iii) comparing results obtained between steps (i) and (ii). - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. An external, non-invasive comparative method for assessing an effect of particular foodstuffs on esophageal function of a patient, comprising:
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(i) evaluating the esophageal function of said patient by following the steps; (a) non-invasively placing proximate an outside surface of the patient at least one ultrasonic transducer that is aligned substantially with a longitudinal axis of the esophagus of the patient; (b) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic image data of at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one food bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient; (c) tracking said at least one bolus in the image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by; (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (b); (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (c)(1); and (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus; and (d) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data, wherein said bolus initially swallowed by the patient comprises a datum foodstuff (ii) repeating step (i) but wherein the bolus now swallowed by the patient replaced by a bolus of the particular foodstuff being investigated; and (iii) comparing results obtained between steps (i) and (ii).
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45. An external, non-invasive system for evaluating esophageal function of a patient, comprising:
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at least one ultrasonic transducer; an ultrasonic imaging system electrically coupled to the ultrasonic transducer; at least one analysis unit electrically coupled to the ultrasonic imaging system, characterized in that the at least one analysis unit is adapted for evaluating esophageal function by performing; (a) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, which has been non-invasively placed proximate an outside surface of the patient, ultrasonic image data of at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient; (b) tracking said at least one bolus in the image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by; (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (a); (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (b)(1); and (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus; and (c) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data.
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Specification