Other

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

John Leonard Semmlow

Walter Welkowitz

John B Kostis

Metin Akay

Benjamin Griffel

Vasant Padmanabhan

Mohammad Zia

Robert E Brolin

The present invention is an apparatus for detection of high-frequency heart sounds for diagnosing heart diseases. One embodiment utilizes an accelerometer-based detector that presents a light load to the chest, is sensitive to the desired high frequency range, and provides a quantitative measurement of the quality of the acquired signal. Two piezoelectric sensors are positioned so that they respond to the same mechanical energy and will produce identical electrical signals in the absence of noise. Through signal processing means the two signals can provide an estimate of the signal-to-noise ratio of the acquired signal. The two signals can also be combined to further improve the signal-to-noise ratio.

System and means for estimating the signal-to-noise ratio of acquired signals

The present invention is an apparatus for detection of high-frequency heart sounds for diagnosing heart diseases. One embodiment utilizes an accelerometer-based detector that presents a light load to the chest, is sensitive to the desired high frequency range, and provides a quantitative measurement of the quality of the acquired signal. Two pairs of flexible beams, each having piezoelectric transducers on the upper and lower surfaces are supported by a lightweight mechanical structure. The beams are center-loaded so that they respond to the same mechanical energy and will produce identical electrical signals in the absence of noise. Through additional signal processing means the two signals can provide an estimate of the signal-to-noise ratio of the acquired signal. The two signals can also be combined to further improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The invention is designed to be light weight, sensitive to higher frequencies, and to be relatively immune to noise.

Apparatus for detection of cardiac acoustic signals

The present invention is a method and system for detection of high-frequency heart sounds for diagnosing heart diseases. One embodiment utilizes an accelerometer-based detector that presents a light load to the chest, is sensitive to the desired high frequency range, and provides a quantitative measurement of the quality of the acquired signal. Two thin piezoelectric flexible sensors, supported by a lightweight mechanical structure, are center-loaded so that they respond to the same mechanical energy and will produce identical electrical signals in the absence of noise. A signal processing system compares the signals from the two sensors to produce an estimate of the signal-to-noise ratio. The two signals can be combined to further improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The invention is designed to be light weight, to have a sensitive sensor mechanism, to provide an estimate of the signal-to-noise ratio of the detected signal, and to be relatively immune to noise.

Method and system for detection of cardiac sounds

Systems and methods for acoustic detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) and automated editing of heart sound data are provided.

System and method for acoustic detection of coronary artery disease and automated editing of heart sound data

When human intestine becomes damaged due to insufficient blood perfusion (ischemic disease), the damaged tissue must be surgically removed and the remaining tissue sewn together (end-to-end anastomoses). If nonviable tissue is not removed the result can be fatal while removal of too much bowel can also lead to severe complication. The distinction between viable and nonviable tissue must often hastily be made during urgent operations on critically ill patients. This decision remains a challenge for even the most experienced general surgeon. The system disclosed herein is a medical instrument designed to quantify the survivability of intestine compromised by ischemic disease. This medical instrument evaluates ischemic tissue through the quantification of electrical and contractile activity. The computer-based instrument uses advanced signal processing techniques to remove measurement artifact and physiological variability. It provides the surgeon with immediate information that is useful in predicting long-term bowel viability allowing him to remove (resect) an optimal segment of bowel.

System for determining the viability of tissue

A method and system for non-invasively detecting Coronary Artery Disease. The method comprises analyzing the diastolic heart sounds detected from a patient's chest cavity during the diastolic portion of the heart cycle in order to identify a low level auditory component associated with turbulent blood flow in partially occluded coronary arteries. These diastolic heart sounds are modeled using advanced signal processing techniques such as Autoregressive (AR), Autoregressive Moving Averaging (ARMA) and Eigenvector methods, so that the presence of such an auditory component may be reliably indicated even under high noise conditions. The system includes an acoustic transducer, pulse sensor device, signal processor means and a diagnostic display. Additionally, the system includes a controller for automatically sequencing data collection, analysis and display stages, therefore requiring a minimum of operator interaction. The system further discloses a piezoelectric type low mass accelerometer for use as an acoustic transducer providing high sensitivity at the high frequencies necessary for detecting coronary artery disease, specifically between 300 to 1200 Hz. In addition, the system discloses a method for automatically identifying and isolating a diastolic segment of a heart sound recording through a 'window' placement technique. A window is placed relative to the second heart sound and various criteria are implemented to evaluate the recording for artifacts, i.e., data due to breath sounds, stomach growls, external ambient noise.

Noninvasive diagnostic system for coronary artery disease

A method and system for non-invasively detecting Coronary Artery Disease. The method comprises analyzing the diastolic heart sounds detected from a patient's chest cavity during the diastolic portion of the heart cycle in order to identify a low level auditory component associated with turbulent blood flow in partially occluded coronary arteries. These diastolic heart sounds are modeled using advanced signal processing techniques such as Autoregressive (AR), Autoregressive Moving Averaging (ARMA) and Eigenvector methods, so that the presence of such an auditory component may be reliably indicated even under high noise conditions. The system includes an acoustic transducer, pulse sensor device, signal processor means and a diagnostic display. Additionally, the system includes a controller for automatically sequencing data collection, analysis and display stages, therefore requiring a minimum of operator interaction. The system further discloses a piezoelectric type low mass accelerometer for use as an acoustic transducer providing higher sensitivity at the high frequencies necessary for detecting coronary artery disease, specifically between 300 to 1200 Hz. In addition, the system discloses a method for automatically identifying and isolating a diastolic segment of a heart sound recording through a 'window' placement technique. A window is placed relative to the second heart sound and various criteria are implemented to evaluate the recording for artifacts, i.e., data due to breath sounds, stomach growls, external ambient noise.

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New Brunswick, NJ, United States of America

John Leonard Semmlow