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Non-invasive method and apparatus for determining lung tissue thermal properties and for extra vascular lung water measurement

  • US 9,907,487 B2
  • Filed: 01/22/2015
  • Issued: 03/06/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A non-invasive method for determining an extravascular lung water volume in a patient, comprising:

  • providing a flow meter and a temperature sensor associated with a mouthpiece, and a processor that is part of, or connectable to, the flow meter and temperature sensor;

    continuously measuring, with the flow meter, first sensing data and continuously measuring, with the temperature sensor, second sensing data, wherein the first sensing data is indicative of a flow of an inspired and an expired gas at an entrance of a patient'"'"'s upper respiratory tract through the mouthpiece, while a property of said inspired gas or a breathing parameter is controllably changed during said measurements, and wherein the second sensing data is indicative of temperatures of said inspired and said expired gas at the entrance of the patient'"'"'s upper respiratory tract through said mouthpiece during said continuous measurements;

    processing said first sensing data to determine time points corresponding to ends of expiration phases during a predetermined number of breathing cycles;

    processing the second sensing data to obtain data indicative of a difference between a temperature of said expired gas temperature and a temperature of said inspired gas at said time points corresponding to the ends of the expiration phases;

    analyzing said data indicative of the difference to determine a rate of change of the temperature difference, said rate of change being used to determine said extravascular lung water volume; and

    generating output data corresponding to said extravascular lung water volume.

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