Blood Flow Studies Patents (Class 600/454)
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Publication number: 20150045666Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system that includes an ultrasound receiver configured to receive ultrasound signals scattered from a sample in real time; an acoustic beam former; and an ultrasound data demodulation system. In one embodiment, the ultrasound imaging system further includes a processing system configured to process demodulated scan data and perform ultrasound image generation and flow processing and a display configured to show ultrasound image data and blood flow velocity data relative to such image data. Signals that include positive flow information and negative flow information are separated from received signals using phase-filters and analytic signal transforms such that a first and a second autocorrelation signal processing stage is used to generate mean positive flow, mean negative flow, and variance data for such flows.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2013Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: SONOWISE, INC.Inventor: Shengtz Lin
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Patent number: 8939908Abstract: An ultrasonic blood vessel inspecting apparatus provided with a longitudinal cross sectional blood vessel image generating portion configured to generate a longitudinal cross sectional image of a blood vessel located below a skin of a live body, on the basis of reflected wave signals of an ultrasonic wave by using an ultrasonic probe placed on the skin of said live body, includes: an index value calculating portion configured to calculate an index value indicative of a degree of clarity of an image which represents an intima-media complex of said blood vessel and which exists within said longitudinal cross sectional image of the blood vessel.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2009Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Unex CorporationInventors: Hidenori Suzuki, Katsushi Iikubo, Chikao Harada, Hiroshi Masuda
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Publication number: 20150011887Abstract: Disclosed are an ultrasound system and method for determining an object, for example, an artery or a vein, and provide object information corresponding to a position of the object. The ultrasound system includes: an ultrasound probe that transmits an ultrasound signal to a body comprising an object, and receives an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the body to generate a reception signal, an ultrasound data acquiring unit that acquires ultrasound data corresponding to the object in the body by using the reception signal, a processing unit that generates Doppler data by using the ultrasound data, analyzes the Doppler data to detect the object, and generates object information corresponding to a position of the detected object, and an object information providing unit that outputs the object information.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 4, 2014Publication date: January 8, 2015Inventors: Mi-jeoung AHN, Gil-ju JIN, Dong-gyu HYUN, Jung-taek OH, Jae-moon JO
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Patent number: 8926515Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously measuring the absolute intracranial pressure in a non-invasive manner is described by using an ultrasonic Doppler device which detects the pulsatility indexes of the blood flow inside the eye artery for both intracranial and extracranial eye artery portions. The eye in which the blood flow is monitored is subjected to a small pressure, sufficient to equalize the pulsatility index measurements of the internal and external portions of the eye artery. The pressure at which such equalization occurs is used as a reference for autocalibration of the apparatus so that continuous absolute intracranial pressure measurements may be taken over a particular sampling period.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2008Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: UAB VittamedInventors: Arminas Ragauskas, Gediminas Daubaris, Vytautas Petkus, Renaldas Raisutis
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Patent number: 8926516Abstract: An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprises an ultrasonic probe configured to transmit and receive an ultrasonic wave and a controller configured to control the ultrasonic probe such that an ultrasonic wave for imaging a contrast agent injected into an object and an ultrasonic wave for imaging a tissue movement of the object are transmitted in time division. A method of ultrasound imaging comprises transmitting a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave which hardly destroys bubbles of a contrast agent, obtaining blood flow information based on a signal generated from the first ultrasonic wave, and obtaining tissue movement information based on a signal generated from the second ultrasonic wave.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2005Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems CorporationInventor: Hiroyuki Tsujino
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Patent number: 8920326Abstract: A mixer circuit includes three square wave mixers and a combiner. A first square wave mixer in the circuit multiplies an input signal with a first square wave. A second square wave mixer and a third square wave mixer in the circuit each multiplies the input signal with a second square wave and a third square wave respectively. The second and third square waves have a same frequency as the first square wave, but phases that respectively lead and lag the phase of the first square wave by a first value. The combiner adds the outputs of the mixers. A low-pass filter external to the mixer circuit filters the sum generated by the combiner to generate a filtered output. In an embodiment, the first value equals forty five degrees, and the filtered output is rendered free of products generated by third and fifth harmonics of the first square wave square.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2011Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Vajeed Nimran P A, Shabbir Amjhera Wala, Shagun Dusad, Sandeep Oswal, Visvesvaraya Appala Pentakota
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Patent number: 8915856Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus transmits an ultrasound signal to a diagnosis target and receives the reflected ultrasound signal from the diagnosis target to generate an ultrasound image. The ultrasound image to be displayed on a screen is divided into plural division regions, and filtering is performed for the respective division regions based on blood-flow information at plural division positions on the diagnosis target corresponding to the respective division regions to provide the filtered result as the ultrasound image.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2010Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: Samsung Medison Co., Ltd.Inventors: Eun Ho Yang, Mi Jeoung Ahn, Chul An Kim
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Publication number: 20140371594Abstract: Vector Doppler Imaging (VDI) improves on conventional Color Doppler Imaging (CDI) by giving speed and direction of blood flow at each pixel of a display generated by a computing system. Multiple angles of Plane wave transmissions (PWT) via an ultrasound transducer conveniently give projected Doppler measurements over a wide field of view, providing enough angular diversity to identify velocity vectors in a short time window while capturing transitory flow dynamics. A fast, aliasing-resistant velocity vector estimator for PWT is presented, and VDI imaging of a carotid artery with a 5 MHz linear array is shown using a novel synthetic particle flow visualization method.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2012Publication date: December 18, 2014Inventors: John Flynn, Ronald Elvin Daigle
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Publication number: 20140371595Abstract: The velocity of fluids containing particles that scatter ultrasound can be measured by determining the Doppler shift of the ultrasound scattered by the particles in the fluid. Measuring fluid flow in cylindrical vessels such as blood vessels is an important use of Doppler ultrasound. This invention teaches using various configurations of cylindrical diffraction-grating transducers and cylindrical non-diffraction-grating transducers that suppress the Doppler shift from non-axial components of fluid velocity while being sensitive to the Doppler shift produced by axial velocity components. These configurations thus provide accurate measurement of the net flow down the vessel, even when the fluid flow is curved or not parallel to the vessel wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2014Publication date: December 18, 2014Inventor: David Vilkomerson
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Patent number: 8911375Abstract: The invention relates to a device and to a method for adaptive three-dimensional derivation of a proximal isokinetic shell of a proximal flow convergence zone that forms in an observation area in a moving fluid, wherein the magnitude of the velocity of the fluid at each point of the proximal isokinetic shell is identical and equal to a velocity reference value, the method including: a) preparing locally distributed velocity measurements in a surrounding area of the observation area, the measurements representing at least one directional component of the local velocity of the fluid in a respective measurement direction, b) preparing an approximation surface as an initial proximal isokinetic shell) in such a way that the entire flow, at least substantially, in the flow convergence zone penetrates the approximation surface, c) establishing a plurality of approximation points on the approximation surface, d) determining the respective velocity measurements at the respective approximation points, e) calculating aType: GrantFiled: October 19, 2009Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Tomtec Imaging Systems GmbHInventors: Marcus Schreckenberg, Georg Schummers
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Patent number: 8905933Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of quantitatively obtaining a blood flow velocity unaffected by angle dependence.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2008Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Keitarou Ishihara
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Publication number: 20140350405Abstract: Method, system and software product for identifying high risk pregnancies comprising the step of generating a spectrogram from ultrasound Doppler signals reflected from the uterine artery and determining the maximum frequency envelope of said spectrogram, and of defining a systolic part and a diastolic part of the maximum frequency envelope and calculating an area ratio under said systolic and diastolic part (AR). This area ratio relates to the blood volume in the uterine artery.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2012Publication date: November 27, 2014Inventors: Pallavi Vajinepalli, Ranjan Das, Celine Firtion, Rajendra Singh Sisodia, Lalit Gupta, Ganesan Ramachandran, Ajay Anand, John Petruzzello
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Patent number: 8894581Abstract: There are provided embodiments for performing a frame average process based on a change of a frame rate are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to sequentially acquire ultrasound data corresponding to a living body; and a processing unit configured to sequentially form a plurality of ultrasound images based on the ultrasound data, estimate a frame average coefficient corresponding to a change of a frame rate based on an ith (i is a positive integer) ultrasound image and an ith frame average image, and perform a frame average process between the ith frame average image and an (i+1)th ultrasound image based on the frame average coefficient to form an (i+1)th frame average image.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2011Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: Samsung Medison Co., Ltd.Inventor: Gae Young Cho
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Publication number: 20140343431Abstract: A device is configured for interrogating a blood vessel to derive flow characteristics (S628) and for, responsive to the deriving and based on the derived characteristics, anatomically identifying the vessel. A spatial map of the vessels may be generated based on the interrogating, and specifically the Doppler power computed from data acquired in the interrogating. Subsequent interrogating (S668) may occur, based on the map and on a user-selected set of vessels and/or vessel categories, to derive clinical Doppler indices. The device can be designed to automatically set a sample volume (509) for the subsequent interrogating, and to operate automatically from the user selection to display of the indices. The display may further include an image (524) of the vessels summoned by the set, annotated by their individual anatomical names, and optionally a diagnosis relating to blood flow. The displayed image may be enlarged to zoom in on the user's onscreen selection.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2012Publication date: November 20, 2014Inventors: Pallavi Vajinepalli, Rajendra SINGH Sisodia, Lalit Gupta, Ganesan Ramachandran, Celine Firtion, John Petruzzello, Ajay Anand
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Publication number: 20140323868Abstract: A bloodstream visualizing diagnostic apparatus capable of visualizing and displaying a value relating to energy efficiency of bloodstream measured for an actual patient, and capable of improving usability, is provided. Provided is an bloodstream visualizing diagnostic apparatus which acquires flow rate information of a bloodstream flowing through a blood vessel in the body, calculates an energy loss of the bloodstream at a plurality of representative points within a region of interest in the blood vessel, using a calculation formula which does not explicitly include a blood pressure in the blood vessel, on the basis of the acquired flow rate information, and generates an image showing a magnitude of the calculated energy loss at the plurality of representative points.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2012Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYOInventors: Minoru Ono, Keiichi Itatani
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Patent number: 8870777Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus includes a frame data generation device configured to generate a frame data of a blood flow image based on echo signals obtained by transmissions and receptions of ultrasonic waves on a same acoustic ray, a processed frame data generation device configured to generate a processed frame data using current data excluding an error data having a higher brightness, a faster blood speed, or a higher blood flow power than a brightness, a blood speed, or a blood flow power of standard data within pixel data corresponding to each other in a plurality of frame data at different time phases, and an image display control device configured to display a blood flow image based on the processed framed data.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2011Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLCInventor: Koji Miyama
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Publication number: 20140316275Abstract: A high frequency ultrasonic transducer may include a plurality of adjacent ultrasonic transducer elements. The adjacent transducer elements may be sized and configured so as to resonate at a frequency that is at least 15 MHz. The adjacent transducer elements may collectively form an aperture that is substantially convex along a lateral dimension spanning the cascaded width of the adjacent transducer elements. The aperture may be substantially concave along an elevation spanning the height of each of the transducer elements. The ultrasonic transducer and an associated transmitter system may be configured so as to enable ultrasound that is radiated from the plurality of the transducer elements to be focused on and to scan across locations that are no more than 30 millimeters from the aperture and that span across a field of view of at least 50 degrees without movement of the ultrasonic transducer or tissue during the scanning.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2014Publication date: October 23, 2014Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAInventors: Hyung Ham Kim, Jin Ho Chang, K. Kirk Shung
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Patent number: 8864672Abstract: A blood rheology measurement device measures a blood rheology of blood flowing through an artery inside of a living body from outside of the living body. The blood rheology measurement device has a sensor that detects a flow rate of blood flowing through the artery and a pulsatile displacement that varies with an elapse of time. The pulsatile displacement corresponds to a displacement of the artery in a diameter direction thereof due to expansion and contraction of the artery resulting from a pulsatile motion of the heart. A calculating section calculates the blood rheology of blood flowing through the artery on the basis of the blood flow rate and the pulsatile displacement detected by the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2006Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.Inventors: Fumio Kimura, Takahiko Nakamura, Masataka Shinogi, Mizuaki Suzuki
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Patent number: 8858446Abstract: According to one embodiment, a color Doppler ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe, a transmission/reception unit, a quadrature phase detection unit configured to perform quadrature phase detection of an output from the transmission/reception unit, a filter unit configured to perform first orthogonal transformation for an output from the quadrature phase detection unit in a depth direction, perform second orthogonal transformation for a result obtained by the first orthogonal transformation in an ensemble direction, apply a two-dimensional filter to obtained frequency data to extract a blood flow component from the frequency data, and sequentially perform inverse transformation of the second orthogonal transformation and inverse transformation of the first orthogonal transformation for an output from the two-dimensional filter, and a blood flow component information calculation unit configured to calculate blood flow component information based on an output from the filter unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2010Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems CorporationInventor: Takeshi Sato
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Patent number: 8858445Abstract: A medical device of the type used for assisting a user in manually delivering repetitive therapy to a patient (e.g., chest compressions or ventilations in cardiac resuscitation), the device comprising a feedback device configured to generate feedback cues to assist the user in timing the delivery of the repetitive therapy, at least one sensor or circuit element configured to detect actual delivery times, at which the user actually delivers the repetitive therapy, and a processor, memory, and associated circuitry configured to compare the actual delivery times to information representative of desired delivery times to determine cue times at which the feedback cues are generated by the feedback device.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2010Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: ZOLL Medical CorporationInventors: Gary A. Freeman, Daniel M. Lisogurski
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Publication number: 20140303499Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus measures blood flow velocity by emitting ultrasound towards a measurement target and receiving a reflected wave, via an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasound image acquisition unit, a vascular region detection unit, a measurement position determination unit, and a Doppler gate setting unit. The ultrasound image acquisition unit acquires an ultrasound image which has been captured of the measurement target. The vascular region detection unit detects, from the ultrasound image, a vascular region corresponding to a blood vessel. The measurement position determination unit detects a specific part of the vascular region based on vascular region shape and determines, in accordance with the specific part, one or more measurement positions in the vascular region in terms of longitudinal direction thereof. The Doppler gate setting unit sets, with respect to each measurement position, a Doppler gate in a lumen region of the vascular region.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2014Publication date: October 9, 2014Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Tadamasa TOMA, Jun OHMIYA, Bumpei TOJI
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Patent number: 8852110Abstract: The velocity of fluids containing particles that scatter ultrasound can be measured by determining the Doppler shift of the ultrasound scattered by the particles in the fluid. Measuring fluid flow in cylindrical vessels such as blood vessels is an important use of Doppler ultrasound. This invention teaches using various configurations of cylindrical diffraction-grating transducers and cylindrical non-diffraction-grating transducers that suppress the Doppler shift from non-axial components of fluid velocity while being sensitive to the Doppler shift produced by axial velocity components. These configurations thus provide accurate measurement of the net flow down the vessel, even when the fluid flow is curved or not parallel to the vessel wall.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2012Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: DVX, LLCInventor: David Vilkomerson
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Publication number: 20140276072Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a vector flow imaging processor that processes ultrasound data representing structure flowing through a tubular object and generates vector flow imaging information for a region of interest of the tubular object that is indicative of the structure flowing through a tubular object based thereon and processing circuitry that determines at least one parameter for Doppler imaging based on the vector flow imaging information.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: B-K Medical ApsInventors: BO MARTINS, John Joseph Antol, Claus Brøchner Nielsen
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Publication number: 20140257106Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for displaying, on a confidence gauge comprising a set of lights, a confidence level of whether a blood vessel is an artery or a vein, wherein a number of illuminated lights of the set of lights indicates the confidence level.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: Smok Signals LLCInventors: Jeffrey Smok, Sheela Blaise, Sean James Coyle, Lauren Mayer, Matt Schurmann, Daniel Velez, Bruce McNair, Vikki Hazelwood
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Publication number: 20140249399Abstract: A method for determining functional severity of a stenosis includes: (a) generating a simulated perfusion map from a calculated blood flow; (b) comparing the simulated perfusion map to a measured perfusion map to identify a degree of mismatch therebetween, the measured perfusion map representing perfusion in a patient; (c) modifying a parameter in a model used in calculating the blood flow when the degree of mismatch meets or exceeds a predefined threshold; (d) computing a hemodynamic quantity from the simulated perfusion map when the degree of mismatch is less than the predefined threshold, the hemodynamic quantity being indicative of the functional severity of the stenosis; and (e) displaying the hemodynamic quantity. Systems for determining functional severity of a stenosis are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Puneet Sharma, Ali Kamen, Max Schöbinger, Michael Scheuering, Dorin Comaniciu
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Publication number: 20140243668Abstract: High-speed three-dimensional reconstruction of elasticity data is obtained by acquiring a sparse set of data in planes sharing a common axis line and angularly arrayed about the axis line. The axis line may be an RF ablation probe and the reconstruction may enforce a circumferential smoothness in the reconstruction about the probe, as is compatible with an ablation volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2013Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research FoundationInventors: Tomy Varghese, Atul Nishikant Ingle
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Patent number: 8818061Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for characterizing a blood vessel represented by vascular image data, wherein said vascular image data comprises a plurality of voxels each having an image intensity, said method comprising the steps of identifying a set of voxels representing a boundary of the blood vessel; determining a gradient vector of the image intensity for each voxel in said set of voxels representing the boundary of the blood vessel; selecting, from said set of voxels representing the boundary of the blood vessel, a subset of voxels such that all voxels have a common intersection point for their respective gradient vector extensions; and determining a vector product based on said gradient vectors for said subset of voxels, wherein the common intersection point indicates a center of said blood vessel and said vector product indicates a direction in which said blood vessel extends.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2010Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Orzone ABInventor: Fredrik Ohlson
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Publication number: 20140236011Abstract: Methods and systems for performing an interventional procedure are presented. A first set of pulses are delivered using at least one image sensor simultaneously with a second set of pulses delivered using at least one flow sensor disposed in an integrated interventional device towards a target region in a subject. Further, structural information corresponding to the target region at a designated time is determined using imaging signals received in response to the first sets of pulses. Additionally, volumetric information corresponding to the target region at the designated time is determined using signals received in response to the second sets of pulses. Moreover, the structural and volumetric information is processed using a determined model to compute one or more diagnostic parameters corresponding to the target region. A diagnostic assessment of the target region is then provided based on the computed diagnostic parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2014Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ying Fan, Hans-Peter Stoll
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Publication number: 20140228688Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasound device for measuring blood flow velocity in a blood vessel of a subject without imaging functionality in the device. The measurement depends upon reflections of a collimated beam of ultrasound from a subject's body part. Received electrical signals representative of the reflected ultrasound energy is used for generating a representation of blood flow at a plurality of predetermined locations in the volume and calculating a first blood flow velocity at each of the locations. The representation of flow is used for delineating the blood flow in the blood vessel in the volume. An angle calculating unit calculates the Doppler angle between the direction of the radiated collimated beam in the delineated blood flow at each point. A velocity calculator calculates a second blood flow velocity at the plurality of points based on the calculated first velocities and the calculated angle at the point.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventors: Lalit Gupta, Ajay Anand, John Petruzzello, Pallavi Vajinepalli, Rajendra Singh Sisodia, Celine Firtion, Ganesan Ramachandran
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Publication number: 20140221838Abstract: An ultrasound system performs duplex colorflow and spectral Doppler imaging, with the spectral Doppler interrogation performed at a sample volume location shown on the colorflow image. The colorflow image is displayed in a color box overlaid on a co-registered B mode image. A color box position and steering angle processor analyzes the spatial Doppler data and automatically sets the color box angle and location over a blood vessel for optimal Doppler sensitivity and accuracy. The processor may also automatically set the flow angle correction cursor in alignment with the direction of flow. In a preferred embodiment these optimization adjustments are made automatically and continuously as a user pauses at points for Doppler measurements along a length of the blood vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.Inventors: Thanasis Loupas, Ashraf Saad
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Publication number: 20140213905Abstract: An ultrasound system performs duplex colorflow and spectral Doppler imaging, with the spectral Doppler interrogation performed at a sample volume location shown on the colorflow image. The colorflow image is displayed in a color box overlaid on a co-registered B mode image. A color box position and steering angle processor analyzes the spatial Doppler data and automatically sets the color box angle and location over a blood vessel for optimal Doppler sensitivity and accuracy. The processor may also automatically set the flow angle correction cursor in alignment with the direction of flow. In a preferred embodiment these optimization adjustments are made automatically and continuously as a user pauses at points for Doppler measurements along a length of the blood vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.Inventors: Ashraf Saad, Thanasis Loupas, David Hull, Steven John Hill
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Patent number: 8790288Abstract: An arteriovenous graft system is described. The arteriovenous graft system includes an arteriovenous graft that is well suited for use during hemodialysis. In order to minimize or prevent arterial steal, at least one valve device is positioned at the arterial end of the arteriovenous graft. In one embodiment, for instance, the arteriovenous graft system includes a first valve device positioned at the arterial end and a second valve device positioned at the venous end. In one embodiment, the valve devices may include an inflatable balloon that, when inflated, constricts and closes off the arteriovenous graft. If desired, a single actuator can be used to open and close both valve devices.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2012Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Inventor: David L. Cull
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Patent number: 8790263Abstract: The embodiments contemplate systems and methods for detecting moving tissue within an object. In one such method, a first and second ultrasound pulse are transmitted at a first sample volume within an object. A first echo signal of the first ultrasound pulse is received from the first sample volume and a second echo signal of the second ultrasound pulse is received from the first sample volume. An estimate of position displacement data of the first sample volume is computed from the first and second echo signals, and the estimate of position displacement data is compared to a predetermined position displacement data threshold indicative of moving tissue. A determination is made, based on the comparison, whether the first sample volume corresponds to moving tissue and, based on the determination, the transmitting, receiving, computing and determining is repeated for a second sample volume.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2007Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Kevin S. Randall, Joseph A. Urbano, Lawrence A. Engle, Anthony P. Lannutti, Jodi Schwartz Klessel, Raymond F. Weymer, Jr., Michael G. Cannon
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Patent number: 8777860Abstract: A method for evaluation of renal perfusion with power Doppler ultrasonography is disclosed in the present invention. Serial renal vascular images at different vascular areas including the whole vascular tree, interlobar, arcuate, and interlobular vessels were captured. Imaging processing software was designed to analyze the changes of power Doppler intensity of colored pixels within regions of interest (ROI). Power Doppler Vascularity index (PDVI) has been defined as the percentage of vascular perfusion within a region of interest (ROI). The renal vascular perfusion index (RVPI) is defined as the maximal power Doppler vascular index divided by minimal power Doppler vascular index (PDVImax/PDVImin) among the serial images. The mean of weighted power Doppler vascular index (WPDVImean) is defined as the average of the intensity of color pixels among the ROI within the serial images.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: National Taiwan UniversityInventors: Jeou-Jong Shyu, Sun-Hua Pao, Yio-Wha Shau, Shuo-Meng Wang, Nai-Kuan Chou
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Publication number: 20140194740Abstract: A device, method, and system for detecting emboli in the brain is disclosed. A transcranial Doppler photoacoustic device transmits a first energy to a region of interest at an internal site of a subject to produce an image and blood flow velocities of a region of interest by outputting an optical excitation energy to said region of interest and heating said region, causing a transient thermoelastic expansion and produce a wideband ultrasonic emission. Detectors receive the wideband ultrasonic emission and then generate an image of said region of interest from said wideband ultrasonic emission. A Doppler ultrasound signal will also be deployed to image the region of interest. Doppler presents changes in velocity to map blood flow. Additionally, a dye can be given to visualize the brain vasculature and a perfusion measurement can be made in various regions of the brain along with the transcranial Doppler and the photoacoustic screening.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2013Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: Cerebrosonics, LLCInventors: Stuart Stein, Carl Pennypacker
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Patent number: 8771194Abstract: A system including an implantable neurostimulator device capable of modulating cerebral blood flow to treat epilepsy and other neurological disorders. In one embodiment, the system is capable of modulating cerebral blood flow (also referred to as cerebral perfusion) in response to measurements and other observed conditions. Perfusion may be increased or decreased by systems and methods according to the invention as clinically required.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2012Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: NeuroPace, Inc.Inventors: Michael S. John, Benjamin D. Pless, Brett M. Wingeier
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Patent number: 8764663Abstract: A apparatus and a method are disclosed for transmitting a signal directed to a blood vessel via a Doppler ultrasound waveform apparatus, receiving, by the Doppler ultrasound waveform apparatus, a reflected signal from the blood vessel; and determining, by a processing device, whether the blood vessel is an artery or a vein based on a blood flow velocity in the blood vessel.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Inventors: Jeffrey Smok, Sheela Blaise, Sean James Coyle, Lauren Mayer, Matt Schurmann, Daniel Velez, Bruce McNair, Vikki Hazelwood
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Patent number: 8764658Abstract: The present disclosure described methods, systems, and techniques for applying contrast-enhanced ultrasound to locate areas of blockage within retinal vessels and to break up clots that are causing damage. In addition to identifying the damaged area, the researchers anticipate that the initial image may serve as a baseline for monitoring the effect of treatment on the vessel, which may be achieved in multiple ways. The vibration effect of the ultrasound itself may suffice to dislodge clots. The microbubbles may also be coated or filled with medication, with ultrasonic shock waves activating the coating or causing mini explosions to release the medicine. Loading the microbubbles with a therapeutic agent, visualizing their presence at the diseased site using the ultrasound diagnostic mode, and then activating the microbubbles to release their contents at the targeted lesion could be a powerful and effective way to reverse occlusion without harming other areas of the eye or body.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2008Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Doheny Eye InstituteInventors: Amani Fawzi, Hossen Ameri, Mark S. Humayun
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Publication number: 20140180114Abstract: This invention provides a method and a device for detecting occlusion and/or reopening of an artery of a body caused by a changing pressure applied on the artery as well as a system for measuring the systolic blood pressure of an artery of a body. The method comprises the steps of: obtaining a blood flow signal indicative of a change of the blood flow in the artery caused by the changing pressure, using a Doppler Ultrasound transducer attached to the exterior of the body; deriving, from the blood flow signal, at least one variable of a first variable indicative of the magnitude of the blood flow and a second variable indicative of the periodicity of the blood flow; and detecting the occlusion and/or reopening of the artery on the basis of the at least one variable. In this way, the occlusion/reopening of the artery can be detected automatically.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2012Publication date: June 26, 2014Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventors: Yinan Chen, Weijia Lu, Jianyi Zhong, Ajay Anand, John Petruzzello
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Patent number: 8758250Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasound color Doppler image system. The ultrasound color Doppler image system includes a calculation unit that calculates a mean value associated with an I/Q signal corresponding to a pixel of a color image in an ultrasound image and generates a multiplication value using the calculated mean value; a comparison unit that compares the generated multiplication value with the mean value; and a masking unit that performs masking of the pixel based on a comparison result, and, the calculation unit calculates the mean value of the I/Q signal for each frame, selects a reference mean value based on scales of the calculated mean values, and generates the multiplication value by multiplying the selected reference mean value and a scale factor.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2010Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Samsung Medison Co., Ltd.Inventors: Sung Bae Park, Moo Ho Bae, Tae Yun Kim
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Patent number: 8758249Abstract: A method for Tissue Doppler Imaging is provided. The method for Tissue, Doppler Imaging comprises steps of: a) transmitting ultrasound signals to a target area including the tissue to be imaged, and receiving the echo signals returned from the target area; b) performing Doppler estimation on Doppler signals extracted from the echo signals, to acquire Doppler parameters of stationary tissue or nonstationary tissue or blood flow within the target area, wherein the Doppler parameters comprise at least velocity and power; c) processing the acquired power of the Doppler parameters to obtain the power related to the nonstationary tissue within the target area, so as to display the tissue motion.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2006Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yu Zhang, Xin Li
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Publication number: 20140163380Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a Doppler signal by using volume data. In detail, the method and apparatus measure a Doppler signal by obtaining a sub volume by using a color component of volume data and locating a sample volume on a scan line of a cell whose corresponding sub volume is scanned.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2013Publication date: June 12, 2014Inventors: Jin-yong LEE, Sung-wook PARK, Eun-jung CHANG
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Publication number: 20140163379Abstract: Disclosed herein are method and system for detecting and assessing brain injuries and conditions. The medical system is capable of detecting and assessing the severity of TBI is present. The determination is performed by multiscale analysis of complexity of cerebral blood flow velocity oscillations.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Inventor: Vladislav Bukhman
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Publication number: 20140163381Abstract: An ultrasonograph that can automatically optimize the sweep rate of Doppler images and M-mode images according to the heart rate of a test subject. The ultrasonograph includes means for sending an ultrasonic beam into body tissue, a means for receiving an ultrasonic signal reflected off the body tissue and a blood flow, a means for constructing a cross-sectional image of the body tissue from the received signal, a means for performing phase detection on an ultrasonic Doppler blood flow signal, a means for calculating a frequency component of the Doppler blood flow signal, and a means for performing a sweeping display of the calculated frequency component as Doppler images in a time series. The ultrasonograph has a heart rate measuring means, an optimum sweep rate calculating means and an optimum sweep rate setting means.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2013Publication date: June 12, 2014Inventor: Yushi NISHIMURA
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Patent number: 8740798Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic scanning unit configured to repeatedly scan an interior of an subject with an ultrasonic wave via the ultrasonic probe and repeatedly acquire echo signals. An image generation unit generates data of blood flow images based on the echo signals. An interpolation processing unit identifies at least one pixel in which clutter components occupy the majority of the pixel value, and to interpolate a pixel value of the identified pixel based on pixel values of at least two other blood flow images corresponding to a substantially same cardiac phase as that of the blood flow image including the identified pixel.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems CorporationInventor: Kenji Hamada
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Publication number: 20140148664Abstract: A method and device related to medicine is provided. The device for assessing regional blood circulation comprises an ultrasonic instrument for measuring blood flow and a pulse oximeter with two light-emitting diodes. The acoustic heads of the sensors are shaped and designed taking into account the anatomical characteristics of the area being investigated. When working with a microcirculatory section of tissue, a software unit “Micro” is used. Data are displayed on a screen. The device permits highly accurate monitoring of linear and volumetric blood flow rates, the resistivity index and the pulsatility index, a dopplergram, a plethysmogram and the heart rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2012Publication date: May 29, 2014Inventors: Marina Borisovna Girina, Ivan Ivanovich Girin
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Publication number: 20140148693Abstract: Embodiments include a system for determining cardiovascular information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patients heart, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to create a physics-based model relating to a blood flow characteristic of the patient's heart and determine a fractional flow reserve within the patient's heart based on the three-dimensional model and the physics-based model.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2013Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: HeartFlow, Inc.Inventor: Charles A. TAYLOR
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Publication number: 20140148702Abstract: The method of determining the open/closed switch moment of an artery of interest under a changing pressure comprises: detecting a first Doppler ultrasound signal from the blood flow in the artery of interest using a first Doppler ultrasound transducer, which is placed on the artery of interest in one limb which is provided with a cuff that is capable of being inflated or deflated to provide the changing pressure to the artery of interest; detecting a second Doppler ultrasound signal from the blood flow in a reference artery using a second Doppler ultrasound transducer, the reference artery being in any one of the other three limbs; deriving a third signal from the first Doppler ultrasound signal and the second Doppler ultrasound signal, the third signal indicating the degree of synchronism between the first Doppler ultrasound signal and the second Doppler ultrasound signal; and out-putting a fourth signal to indicate the artery of interest is closed or reopened at the moment when the third signal satisfies aType: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2012Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventor: Yinan Chen
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Patent number: 8727989Abstract: Certain embodiments provide an automatic diagnosis support apparatus includes extracting a plurality of parameters associated with a predetermined object by using medical information acquired by a medical image diagnosis apparatus and extracting the plurality of parameters for each disease associated with a disable-bodied person by using medical information associated with the disable-bodied person, calculating a ruler associated with each disease case by executing an MT system using the plurality of parameters for each disease associated with the disable-bodied person, calculating a distance between the object and a state space of the disable-bodied person associated with the each disease by executing the MT system using a plurality of parameters associated with the object, determining a disease type of the object by using the ruler and a distance between the object and a state space of a disable-bodied person, and generating diagnosis support information based on the determination result.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2010Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems CorporationInventor: Tatsuro Baba
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Patent number: 8728059Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for assuring validity of monitoring parameters in combination with a therapeutic device. An exemplary embodiment of the present technique comprises perturbing a treatment administered to a patient, measuring at least one parameter of the patient reflecting the underlying physiological state and associated with the treatment, and comparing the perturbations of the treatment to measurements of the at least one parameter to determine if the perturbations to the treatment are reflected by the parameter.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2006Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Edward Karst, Clark R. Baker, Jr.