The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 06, 2011
Filed:
Dec. 14, 2005
Praveen Dala-krishna, Sicklerville, NJ (US);
Praveen Dala-Krishna, Sicklerville, NJ (US);
St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc., St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enhancing evaluation of valvular function in terms of regurgitation is described. The techniques include a method and apparatus for monitoring flow across a valve and evaluating regurgitation through the valve. An ultrasound scanner with Doppler capabilities processes and represents Doppler signal data in a color scale. The Doppler signal data is processed such that different colors are assigned to signals that have different power levels. An ECG signal may be correlated to the Doppler signals to determine systole and diastole periods, then the regurgitation is determined by estimating a peak reverse blood flow based on Doppler signals from blood at systole. The Doppler signals may also be processed so as to determine a cardiac cycle, then regurgitation is determined as the ratio of a reverse blood flow as a percentage of a forward blood flow.