Cardiovascular imaging and functional analysis system

• US 20020188197A1
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Coast Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: North Coast Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Umeno, Marc M., Majewski, Stanislaw, Bishop, Harry
• Granted Patent: US 6,671,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/436
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02755 Radioactive tracers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/507 for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT

Abstract

A Cardiovascular imaging and functional analysis system and method employing a dedicated fast, sensitive, compact and economical imaging gamma camera system that is especially suited for heart imaging and functional analysis. The system uses a dedicated nuclear cardiology small field of view imaging camera, allowing image physiology, while offering inexpensive and portable hardware. In some variations, a basic modular design suitable for cardiac imaging with one of several radionucleide tracers is used. The detector is positioned in close proximity to the chest and heart from several different projections, allowing rapid accumulation of data for first-pass analysis, positron imaging, quantitative stress perfusion, and multi-gated equilibrium pooled blood tests. In one variation, a Cardiovascular Non-Invasive Screening Probe system provides rapid, inexpensive preliminary indication of coronary occlusive disease by measuring the activity of emitted particles from an injected bolus of radioactive tracer.

Claims

1. A cardiovascular screening probe system, comprising:

a first detection probe;

a first means for measuring cardiovascular fluid flow;

a second detection probe;

a second means for measuring cardiovascular fluid flow; and

means for comparing said cardiovascular flow measured by said first measuring means and said second measuring means.

2. The cardiovascular screening probe system of claim 1, wherein said first detection probe and said second detection probe measure emissivity from an injected radioactive bolus.

3. The cardiovascular screening probe system of claim 1, wherein said first detection probe and said second detection probe each comprise gamma detection probes.

4. The cardiovascular screening probe system of claim 1, wherein said first detection probe and said second detection probe are positioned on the patient'"'"'s chest so as to view two selected regions of the heart simultaneously.

5. The cardiovascular screening probe system of claim 1, which detects coronary artery disease when the patient is resting.

6. A cardiovascular imaging system comprising:

a single compact position sensitive photomultiplier tube or an array of such tubes;

a scintillator pixellated array;

a matching dedicated light guide positioned between pixellated scintillator array and a photomultiplier or photomultiplier array to deliver digitized radiation information from said scintillator to said photomultiplier tube or photomultiplier array; and

dedicated fast processing algorithm for analyzing and displaying information from the photomultiplier tube or photomultiplier array; and

display means for displaying the processed output of said photomultiplier tube or photomultiplier array.