Spentech, Inc.

Other

Applied Physiology and Medicine

Institute of Applied Physiology & Medicine

Merrill P Spencer

Mark A Moehring

Arne H Voie

Svyatoslav N Fedorov

Mark A Curry

John R Klepper

Gertruda D Mikhailova

Asanka S Dewaraja

Dina I Ioffe

Thomas O Mera

John M Reid

Systems and methods for grading signals from microemboli in blood flow monitored using a Doppler ultrasound system. Signals from microemboli in blood flow are graded by calculating a value related to a power for the signals from microemboli in blood flow and categorizing the signals into one of at least two grades based on the calculated value. Alternatively, signals can be categorized by assessing a power value for the microemboli in blood flow during a period of monitoring. In response to the power value being greater than or equal to a threshold value, the microemboli in blood flow are categorized based on the power value, and in response to the power value being less than the threshold value, a number of microemboli are counted during at least a portion of the period of monitoring and the microemboli are categorized based on the number.

System and method for grading microemboli monitored by a multi-gate doppler ultrasound system

A method and apparatus for combining therapeutic pulsed or continuous-wave ultrasound with diagnostic pulsed ultrasound are described. In both a therapeutic mode and in a diagnostic mode, the ultrasound is administered from a single probe to a patient suffering from thrombosis. The ultrasound can have the same or different frequency ranges in the diagnostic and therapeutic modes. The pulsed or continuous-wave ultrasound in the therapeutic mode enhances a lysing effect of a thrombolytic agent. The pulsed ultrasound in the diagnostic mode allows monitoring of blood flow to locate a thrombus, to determine an optimal window to administer the therapeutic pulsed ultrasound, and to detect when recanalization has occurred. If an operator attends the device, a graphical display operates during the diagnostic mode to display an image representative of the blood flow.

Method and apparatus for automatic location of blood flow with Doppler ultrasound

Method and apparatus combining diagnostic ultrasound with therapeutic ultrasound to enhance thrombolysis

This disclosure relates to a noninvasive means for detecting, counting and characterizing emboli moving through the arterial or venous circulation. An ultrasonic transducer is applied to the skin or other tissues of the subject at sites such as over the temporal bone on either side of the head of the subject, on the neck, on the chest, the abdomen, arm, leg, within the esophagus, or surgically exposed organs or blood vessels. Using standard ultrasonic Doppler techniques, Doppler-shifted signals are located which are proportional to the blood flow velocity in the blood vessel(s) of interest. Spectral analysis is performed on the received signal using the fast Fourier transform or other appropriate technique to determine the frequency components in the Doppler shift spectrum. Further analysis of the spectra is used to delineate and characterize Doppler shift signals due to blood from Doppler shift signals due to emboli having a variety of compositions.

Method and apparatus for ultrasonically detecting, counting and/or

The invention is a method for diagnosis of early stage of optic nerve blood supply disturbance resides in that the state and localization of the optic nerve is determined by virtue of ultrasonic scanning, then a distance from the eyelid anterior surface of the ciliary arteries supplying said optic nerve is measured, whereupon the state of hemodynamics in said ciliary arteries is determined on the thus-measured distance with the aid of ultrasonic pulse-dopplerography, by measuring the linear and volumetric blood flow velocities in said arteries, a value of said linear blood flow velocity below 9 cm/s and of said volumetric blood flow below 5 ml/min are indicative of an early stage of optic nerve blood supply disturbance.

Method for diagnosis of early stage of optic nerve blood supply

Continuous wave ultrasonic sound waves from a transmitter and receiver are highly focused to a width of approximately 1 millimeter or less and are transmitted and received through intersecting paths within the tissue of a patient. A doppler flow detector produces an image of the moving blood within the vessel. The transmitter and receiver are systematically scanned over the subject and the detected images are converted into visually intelligible pictures. An improved circuit for more clearly defining the flow picture of the moving blood particles utilizes a conventional directional doppler circuit plus a multiplier-differentiator-low pass filter circuit to automatically eliminate venous flow signals. A grey scale oscilloscope provides brightness intensity on the visual picture proportional to the velocity and direction of the blood flow for detecting stenosis in the vessel. A recording technique is disclosed for detecting atherosclerotic thickening of the artery wall. A multiple beam scanner is disclosed which requires movement only in the longitudinal direction of the vessel.

Apparatus for ultrasonic arteriography

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Merrill P Spencer