Non-invasive device and method for the diagnosis of pulmonary vascular occlusions

• US 6,881,193 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority
• Original Assignee: Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority
• Inventors: Kline, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US10/109,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 600/532, 73/233, 422/84
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0833 Measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/417 the bone marrow
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/4585 having a rectifier with controlled elements

Abstract

The invention involves a device and method for ascertaining the functioning of the respiratory system and determining whether a pulmonary embolism is present. The device comprises an apparatus containing sensors which measure the amount of a particular gas expired from a patient'"'"'s lungs, including a non-ambient gas which is previously provided to the patent. From this data, a processor computes the concentration of expired gas as a function of expired volume and displays the results on a screen. By comparing the results to predetermined values from afflicted and healthy patient populations, an accurate determination can be made regarding the presence of a pulmonary embolism.

Claims

1. A device for non-invasively diagnosing abnormal respiratory function, comprising:

means for detecting the amount of a non-ambient gas exhaled by a patient;

means for calculating the concentration of said gas; and

means for plotting said concentration of said gas as a function of expired volume against corresponding data from normal and afflicted populations.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said means for detecting the amount of a non-ambient gas exhaled by a patient comprises a spectrometer.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said means for calculating the concentration of said gas comprises a data processor connected to said spectrometer.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said means for plotting said concentration of said gas as a function of expired volume against corresponding data from normal and afflicted populations comprises a display screen interconnected to said data processor.

5. A method for diagnosing abnormal respiratory function, comprising the steps of:

injecting a patient with a predetermined amount of a non-ambient gas in a sterile solution;

providing a mouthpiece to said patient;

allowing said patient to exhale through said mouthpiece;

measuring the exhaled concentration of said gas over a predetermined time period;

displaying a graph of the moles of said gas expired verses as a function of the total volume of gases expired; and

comparing said graph to corresponding data from normal and afflicted populations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said non-ambient gas is selected from the group consisting of sulfur hexafluoride, acetylene, ethane, cyclopropane, halothane, ether, and acetone.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said non-ambient gas in a sterile solution comprises sulfur hexafluoride in about a 0.9 percent saline solution.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said predetermined amount comprises about 0.03 ml/kg of sulfur hexafluoride.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said patient is injected via a butterfly needle.