Abstract: The proposed technology relates to a method for indicating a risk for coronary artery disease. A sound recording is obtained (100) covering a plurality of heartbeats, a plurality of heart sounds are identified (200) in the sound recording, and a plurality of segments are obtained (300) from the sound recording. A frequency power measure is determined (400) based on the signal strength of a first frequency window of a period in the diastole, an amplitude of the fourth heart sound is determined (500) based on the plurality of heart sounds and the plurality of segments, and an indication of a heart rate variability is determined (600) based on the plurality of heart sounds. The indication of the risk for coronary artery disease is then determined (700) based on the frequency power measure, the amplitude of the fourth heart sound, and the indication of the heart rate variability.

Abstract: The proposed technology relates to the quantifying of cardiorespiratory fitness. It includes the obtaining (102) of a seismocardiogram (SCG) recorded with an accelerometer (14) configured to measure accelerations and vibrations of the chest wall of a person (18) caused by myocardial movement. Properties of a first signal feature (AC) in the seismocardiogram (SCG) are determined (104), wherein the first signal feature (AC) corresponds to the aortic valve closure (AC) of a heartbeat. A measure indicating cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max) is then determined (106) based on the properties of first signal feature (AC).

Abstract: A way of indicating a risk for coronary artery disease is disclosed. A first plurality of first sound recordings of heartbeats and second plurality of second sound recording of the ambient background are obtained. A filtering of each first sound recording is performed by using a simultaneously recorded second sound recording. The filtering of each first sound recording involves determining a diastolic period of the heartbeat of the first sound recording, and performing an adaptive filtering of the first sound recording based in the diastolic period of the first sound recording and the simultaneously recorded second sound recording. This is followed by determination of an indication of the risk for coronary artery disease based on the filtered first sound recordings.

Abstract: The proposed technology relates to a method for indicating a risk for coronary artery disease. A sound recording is obtained (100) covering a plurality of heartbeats, a plurality of heart sounds are identified (200) in the sound recording, and a plurality of segments are obtained (300) from the sound recording. A frequency power measure is determined (400) based on the signal strength of a first frequency window of a period in the diastole, an amplitude of the fourth heart sound is determined (500) based on the plurality of heart sounds and the plurality of segments, and an indication of a heart rate variability is determined (600) based on the plurality of heart sounds. The indication of the risk for coronary artery disease is then determined (700) based on the frequency power measure, the amplitude of the fourth heart sound, and the indication of the heart rate variability.

Abstract: A quantifying of the function of a beating heart is disclosed, in which a signal is recorded with an accelerometer placed on the chest of a person. A plurality of segments of the signal are formed, which are aligned and filtered with a band-pass filter having a lower cutoff frequency below 1 Hz and an upper cut-off frequency in the range 100-250 Hz. A mean segment is then determined, in which a first temporal feature is determined. A measure is then determined based on at least one of the signal value, or amplitude, of the first temporal feature and the location in time of the first temporal feature. The determined measure is then provided as output information.

Abstract: A technology for quantifying, or determining an indication of, cardiorespiratory fitness is disclosed. A signal portion is obtained from a signal recorded with an accelerometer placed on the chest of a person. The accelerometer measures accelerations and vibrations of the chest wall of the person caused by myocardial movement. A maximum value is determined in the signal portion, and output information is provided indicating cardiorespiratory fitness based on the maximum value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating cardiac strain and displacement using ultrasound are disclosed. According to an aspect, a method includes receiving frames of images acquired from a subject over a period of time. The method also includes determining, in the frames of images, speckles of features of the subject. Further, the method includes tracking bulk movement of the speckles in the frame of images. The method also includes determining displacement of at least a portion of the subject based on the tracked bulk movement.

Abstract: A way of indicating a risk for coronary artery disease is disclosed. A first plurality of first sound recordings of heartbeats and second plurality of second sound recording of the ambient background are obtained. A filtering of each first sound recording is performed by using a simultaneously recorded second sound recording. The filtering of each first sound recording involves determining a diastolic period of the heartbeat of the first sound recording, and performing an adaptive filtering of the first sound recording based in the diastolic period of the first sound recording and the simultaneously recorded second sound recording. This is followed by determination of an indication of the risk for coronary artery disease based on the filtered first sound recordings.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) comprises an acoustic sensor to be placed on the chest of a patient to generate acoustic signals SA: a control unit adapted to receive said acoustic signals SA, the control unit comprising: an identification unit to identify diastolic or systolic periods in a predetermined time period and to generate a period signal SP; a filtering unit adapted to apply a filter to said identified periods to generate a low frequency band signal SLFB and a high frequency band signal SHFB of said identified periods; and a calculation unit, to calculate a low frequency power measure SLFP and a high frequency feature measure SHFF. A risk-determining unit provides a risk-of-CAD signal based on the low frequency power measure and the high frequency feature measure. The invention also relates to a stethoscope and a method for detection of low frequency power.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing quantitative measures of the flow property of a blood vessel. The method is based on analyzing cross-sectional images of a vessel by estimating the area of the lumen of the vessel. The method comprises steps of determining a point contained within the walls of the vessel, determining a closed path which approximates the inner circumference of the wall of the vessel, and determining the area of the closed path when the vessel is most expanding in order to get a measurement of the maximum lumen. This method may enable the clinical personnel to quickly evaluate the flow property e.g. of an inserted bypass vessel and, thereby, conclude if the surgical intervention is successful or if adjustments are required.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) comprises an acoustic sensor to be placed on the chest of a patient to generate acoustic signals SA: a control unit adapted to receive said acoustic signals SA, the control unit comprising: an identification unit to identify diastolic or systolic periods in a predetermined time period and to generate a period signal SP; a filtering unit adapted to apply a filter to said identified periods to generate a low frequency band signal SLFB and a high frequency band signal SHFB of said identified periods; and a calculation unit, to calculate a low frequency power measure SLFP and a high frequency feature measure SHFF. A risk-determining unit provides a risk-of-CAD signal based on the low frequency power measure and the high frequency feature measure. The invention also relates to a stethoscope and a method for detection of low frequency power.

Abstract: The invention relates to method for detecting blood vessel structures in medical images obtained from a medical imaging device, wherein the method comprises determining image parts in a selected medical image, where the image parts are determined by processing intensity values of the image, determining first and second feature values of each of one or more of the image parts, determining one or more feature values of each of one or more of the image parts, where the features values indicate if the image part from which the feature values are determined pictures a desired blood vessel structure, based on the feature values, determine if the selected medical image shows the desired blood vessel structure.

Abstract: A system for detection of frequency power for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD), comprising: an acoustic sensor to be placed on the chest of a patient to generate acoustic signals SA: a memory adapted to store acoustic signals SA; a control unit adapted to receive said acoustic signals SA; the control unit comprising: an identification unit to identify diastolic or systolic periods in a predetermined time period and to generate a period signal SP, a filtering unit adapted to apply a filter to said identified periods to generate a low frequency band signal SLFB indicating low frequency bands of identified periods; a calculation unit to estimate the power in said low frequency band of identified periods, to calculate a low frequency power measure and to generate a low frequency power measure signal SLFP. The invention also relates to a stethoscope and a method for detection of low frequency power.

Abstract: A method, system, stethoscope and server for classifying a cardiovascular sound recorded from a living subject. The method comprises the steps of: identifying diastolic and/or systolic segments of the cardiovascular sound; dividing at least one of the identified diastolic and/or systolic segments into a number of sub-segments comprising at least a first sub-segment and at least a second sub-segment; extracting from the first sub-segment at least a first signal parameter characterizing a first property of the cardiovascular sound, extracting from the second sub-segment at least a second signal parameter characterizing a second property of the cardiovascular sound; and classifying the cardiovascular sound using the at least first signal parameter and the at least second signal parameter in a multivariate classification method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing quantitative measures of the flow property of a blood vessel. The method is based on analyzing cross-sectional images of a vessel by estimating the area of the lumen of the vessel. The method comprises steps of determining a point contained within the walls of the vessel, determining a closed path which approximates the inner circumference of the wall of the vessel, and determining the area of the closed path when the vessel is most expanding in order to get a measurement of the maximum lumen. This method may enable the clinical personnel to quickly evaluate the flow property e.g. of an inserted bypass vessel and, thereby, conclude if the surgical intervention is successful or if adjustments are required.

Abstract: This invention describes a method for dividing a substantial cycli cardiovascular signal into segments by determining the characteristics of said cyclic signal, wherein each cycle in said signal comprises at least two characteristic segments and wherein the method comprises the steps o identifying segments in a cycle based on prior knowledge of said segment characteristics and the step of verifying said identified segments based on a number of statistical parameters obtained from prior knowledge relating to said cyclic signal. Furthermore, the invention describes a system adapted to perform the above-described method.

Abstract: The invention relates to segmentation of cardiac acoustic signals, such as the heart sound signal, based on statistical algorithms. A duration-dependent Hidden Markov Model is disclosed which models the shifting states of the heart, based on the cardiac acoustic signal and the time spent in the given states relating to physiological events, e.g. the various states of the heart during the heart beat cycle.

Abstract: The invention relates to segmentation of cardiac acoustic signals, such as the heart sound signal, based on statistical algorithms. A duration-dependent Hidden Markov Model is disclosed which models the shifting states of the heart, based on the cardiac acoustic signal and the time spent in the given states relating to physiological events, e.g. the various states of the heart during the heart beat cycle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for classifying a cardiovascular sound recorded from a living subject. The method comprises the steps of: identifying diastolic and/or systolic segments of said cardiovascular sound; dividing at least one of said identified diastolic and/or systolic segments into a number of sub-segments comprising at least a first sub-segment and at least a second sub-segment; extracting from said first sub-segment at least a first signal parameter characterizing a first property of said cardiovascular sound, extracting from said second sub-segment at least a second signal parameter characterizing a second property of said cardiovascular sound; classifying said cardiovascular sound using said at least first signal parameter and said at least second signal parameter in a multivariate classification method.

Abstract: A backlight of the present invention (illumination device) 2 includes: light sources (5); light guide plates (7) for causing surface emission of light from the light sources (5); and a diffusing plate (8) for diffusing light from the light guide plates (7), the diffusing plate (8) facing a light-emitting surface (7a) of each of the light guide plates (7) at a predetermined distance. Each light guide plate (7) includes: a light-emitting section (7b) having the light-emitting surface (7a); and a light guide section (7c) for guiding, to the light-emitting section (7b), light from a corresponding light source (5), where the light-emitting section of one of any adjacent two light guide plates is placed over the light guide section (7c) of the other light guide plate (7). The illumination device further includes at least one maintaining section between the light-emitting surface (7a) and the diffusing plate (8), the maintaining section (10) maintaining the predetermined distance.