Abstract: Apparatus for assisting an operator to diagnose physical conditions in a patient by collecting and analyzing cyclical body sounds such as heart beat, peripheral vessel sounds, or breath sounds. Several cycles of data are collected and digitized. Each cycle is converted to the frequency domain and phase fixed. Then all of the frequency converted and phase fixed cycles are signal averaged together, and the results displayed to the operator. The cycles may be sorted according to respiratory cycle and averaged in two groups. The cycles may be gated according to the patients ECG. The apparatus may suggest diagnoses or further maneuvers to be performed.

Abstract: Apparatus for assisting in the analysis of heart sounds monitors heart sounds, ECG, and respiratory data. Once digitized, this data is processed and analyzed to determine timing relationships between the three signals, frequency (or pitch) of sounds, and dependence or non-dependence of sounds on ECG and respiratory phase. The user of the apparatus inputs the place of detection and the maneuver being performed. Raw phonocardiogram data is displayed. The user inputs the number of beats and the frames per second to display. Fast Fourier transformed and signal averaged data are displayed, and phase sensitive and non-phase sensitive sounds are extracted. A lesion fitting algorithm suggests diagnoses and possible further maneuvers to perform. The data obtained is compared to a historical patient data.