Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Martin Mason

Sophia Huai Zhou

Eric Helfenbein

Joseph R Fallon

Richard James Conrad

Albert Kyle

Kathleen R Meschisen

Donald J Brooks

Automated analysis and interpretation of spirograms is provided to assess lung function of a subject. If the shape of a spirogram plot is deemed suitably reliable, the spirogram may be subsequently used for diagnostic purposes. Quality control of spirograms and/or interpretation of reliable spirograms may use shape templates corresponding to common test problems and/or typical lung diseases.

Automated spirogram analysis and interpretation

Apparatus for encephalic insonication, comprising a transducer array configured to safely insonicate a field in a human body of a size comparable to the spatial extent of the array itself. The array comprises a plurality of acoustic transducers arranged in a polygonal configuration and energized in subsets at frequencies between 200 and 400 kHz. A relatively uniform insonication of a field comparable in size to that of significant anatomical regions of the brain is obtained by driving the transducers in each subset in opposed phase relationship during at least part of the interval during which they are active. A pulsed driving scheme enables minimization of heating effects while providing significant therapeutic treatment. The apparatus is useful both with and without additional lytic agents.

Encephalic insonication

When configuring multiple patient monitors () in a healthcare environment, configuration is simplified and setup time is reduced by employing barcoded configuration information that is scanned into the monitors () using a barcode scanner (). A first monitor () is configured by selectively scanning one or more barcodes contained in a configuration booklet. Once the first monitor () is configured, its configuration information is stored and printed in barcoded format. The printed barcodes are then scanned into a second patient monitor (), without requiring the user to navigate the configuration barcode booklet a second time. Additionally, a patient's ID barcode is printed on vital signs records generated by the monitor, such as by a strip chart recorder or printer ().

Use of barcode menus to configure and set-up vital signs monitors

A method for adjusting a blood pressure measurement to compensate for a pressure offset due to obtaining the blood pressure measurement at an elevation other than heart level is illustrated. The method includes measuring a blood pressure at a location above or below a heart level and adjusting the measured blood pressure in accordance with a pressure difference between the location at which the blood pressure is obtained and the heart level.

Enhanced functionality and accuracy for a wrist-based multi-parameter monitor

A method of treating tissue within a body includes aiming an ultrasound transducer towards target tissue, and delivering ultrasound energy towards the target tissue to thereby reduce pain at the target tissue. A method of treating tissue within a body includes aiming an ultrasound transducer towards target tissue, and delivering ultrasound energy towards the target tissue to increase nitric oxide at the target tissue. An ultrasound system includes a first ultrasound transducer for emitting ultrasound energy from outside a patient, and drive circuitry coupled to the first ultrasound transducer, wherein the drive circuitry is configured to generate a drive signal at a frequency that is between 20 kHz and 100 kHz for the first ultrasound transducer.

Ultrasound systems and methods for treating ischemic limbs or tissue affected by peripheral arterial disease

A fully steerable two-dimensional ultrasound array delivers a therapy by steering and selective focusing of beams. In some systems, the ultrasound array also includes an imaging functionality to simultaneously perform diagnostic imaging and delivery of a therapy. In one example, the two-dimensional ultrasound array includes a controller that controls beam forming and focusing to scan the focal point of the beam in a pattern within an identified structure of a image. Tissue is thus scanned using a sharply focused beam that is suitable for delivering a therapy such as a hyperthermia therapy or a therapy utilizing delivery of a pharmaceutical via microspheres. Imaging and therapy proceed either simultaneously or separately by operator selection. Simultaneous operation of imaging and therapy delivery are attained using a focused, scanned beam in which a focused beam that delivers intensity levels suitable for heating tissue or for bursting microspheres is pulsed. Reflected signals from the pulses are detected and used to create an image in the manner of conventional ultrasound imaging. Ultrasonic beams are sharply focused to generate intensity levels that are suitable for heating tissues in a hyperthermia application and bursting microspheres in a therapy utilizing microsphere-encased pharmaceuticals. The sharply focused echoes are delivered in pulses and reflections from the pulses are detected and used to create an ultrasound image.

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Andover, MA, United States of America

Martin Mason