Systems and methods for integrating hemodynamic and imaging examinations

• US 8,137,273 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Everett, Deborah Ann, Friedman, Bruce, Mullen, Paul Lawrence, Zang, William Alphonsus
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Tse
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brutus, Joel F
• Application Number:
  US12/362,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 600/500, 600/485, 600/463, 600/437, 600/407, 600/454, 600/486, 600/490
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00

Abstract

Hemodynamic data and imaging data are obtained about a patient, and the data is combined to generate a single report integrating same. While a hemodynamic system obtains the hemodynamic data, an imaging system obtains the imaging data. Preferably, the report confirms the absence or presence (and/or severity) of peripheral arterial disease, including quantitative data. The hemodynamic system and the imaging system can communicate directly, indirectly, and/or wirelessly. They may be contained within a common enclosure and/or integrated into a single apparatus. Either or both of the hemodynamic system and/or the imaging system can also be configured to measure the blood pressure of the patient. Preferably, the imaging system is an ultrasound imaging system, and improved workflows for diagnosing peripheral arterial disease result.

Claims

1. An integrated medical system, comprising:

a blood pressure measuring system for obtaining hemodynamic data about a patient;

a hemodynamic system configured to receive the hemodynamic data and generate a hemodynamic report;

an imaging system configured to obtain imaging data about the patient and generate an image of the patient, the hemodynamic system and the imaging system combined into a common platform, at least one of the hemodynamic system or the imaging system controlling an operation of the blood pressure measuring system; and

a processor configured to receive the hemodynamic data and the imaging data and combine the hemodynamic data and the imaging data together to generate a report integrating the hemodynamic report and the image, wherein the hemodynamic system and the imaging system are configured to communicate independently of the generated report integrating the hemodynamic report and the image.

2. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the blood pressure measuring system includes one or more blood pressure cuffs configured to be affixed to the patient to measure said blood pressure.

3. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the blood pressure measuring system includes one or more blood pressure cuffs, a pressure in the blood pressure cuffs controlled, at least in part, by the hemodynamic system.

4. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the blood pressure measuring system includes one or more blood pressure cuffs, a pressure in the blood pressure cuffs controlled, at least in part, by the imaging system.

5. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the imaging system is an ultrasound imaging system.

6. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the hemodynamic system and the imaging system are configured to communicate directly.

7. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the hemodynamic system and the imaging system are configured to communicate indirectly.

8. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the hemodynamic system and the imaging system are configured to communicate wirelessly.

9. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein both the hemodynamic system and the imaging system are contained within a common enclosure.

10. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein both the hemodynamic system and the imaging system are integrated into a single apparatus that is independent of the processor and the blood pressure measuring system.

11. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the report integrating the hemodynamic data and the imaging data reflects a peripheral arterial disease condition of the patient.

12. The integrated medical system of claim 1 further comprising a pressure manifold to control a pressure in the blood pressure measuring system, the pressure manifold controlled by at least one of the hemodynamic system or the imaging system.

13. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the hemodynamic system or the imaging system directly controls the blood pressure measuring system independent of the processor.

14. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the hemodynamic system controls the blood pressure measuring system based on the hemodynamic data received at the hemodynamic system.

15. The integrated medical system of claim 1, wherein the imaging system receives the blood pressure data from the blood pressure monitoring system and controls the blood pressure measuring system based on at least one of the hemodynamic data or the imaging data.

16. A method of monitoring a medical condition of a patient, comprising:

controlling a blood pressure measuring system with at least one of a hemodynamic system or an imaging system that are combined into a common platform;

obtaining hemodynamic data about a patient with the hemodynamic system;

obtaining imaging data about the patient with the imaging system; and

combining the hemodynamic data and the imaging data into a report integrating the hemodynamic data and the imaging data, wherein the hemodynamic system and the imaging system are configured to communicate independently of the generated report.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein obtaining the hemodynamic data comprises measuring a blood pressure of the patient with the blood pressure measuring system.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein obtaining the imaging data comprises obtaining at least one ultrasound image of the patient.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the report integrating the hemodynamic data and the imaging data reflects a peripheral arterial disease condition of the patient.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein combining the hemodynamic data and the imaging data comprises transmitting the hemodynamic data to an imaging system configured to obtain the imaging data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the hemodynamic data is transmitted to the imaging system one of directly, indirectly, or wirelessly.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein combining the hemodynamic data and the imaging data comprises transmitting the imaging data to a hemodynamic system configured to obtain the hemodynamic data.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the imaging data is transmitted to the hemodynamic system one of directly, indirectly, or wirelessly.