Abstract:
Apparatus and methods are provided for monitoring cardiac output using bioelectrical impedance techniques in which first and second electrodes are placed in the trachea (103) and/or bronchus (104a) in the vicinity of the ascending aorta (101a), while an excitation current is injected into the thorax (100) via first and second current electrodes (13), so that bioelectrical impedance measurements based on the voltage drop sensed by the first and second electrodes reflect voltage changes induced primarily by blood flow dynamics, rather than respiratory or non-cardiac related physiological effects. Additionally sense electrodes (12) may be provided, either internally, or externally, for which bioelectrical impedance values may be obtained. Methods are provided for computing cardiac output from bioelectrical impedance values. Apparatus and methods are also provided so that the measured cardiac output may be used to control administration of intravenous fluids to an organism or to optimize a heart rate controlled by a pacemaker.
Abstract:
This invention is a catheter (20) with a lumen (24) wherein the lumen is obstructed by a portion of the catheter (50). The catheter (20) includes a position detector (22) at the tip of the catheter (20).
Abstract:
The invention pertains to medical engineering and can be used for rapid diagnosis of the functional state of a human organism. The proposed device comprises a device for converting measured and reference conductivities into a pulse sequence whose on-off time ratio is proportional to the measured conductivity. The circuit includes means for protecting the measurement electrodes from pulse voltages. An opto-electronic unit is provided and the power source is designed as a computer serial port voltage inverter, with the primary and secondary windings on separate magnetic circuits which are interconnected by a short-circuited loop; these measures ensure electrical safety and reduce mutual interference between the device and computer.
Abstract:
Registration of organ images, such as myocardial images obtained by myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (820, 840, 860), is performed by an elastic transformation which includes a rigid transformation, a global affine transformation, and local transformations. The elastic transformation eliminates normal morphological variances such as variances in orientation, size and shape, so that the remaining differences represent important functional differences (810, 830, 850). The method can be used to register a patient's organ against a template obtained by averaging organ images from many patients (800). For scintigraphic images the boundary of the organ is determined by a "segmentation" procedure involving the analysis of spatial derivatives of the count density. After the elastic transformations of the surface of the organ, the scintigraphic count densities are redistributed. The method decreases the effects of operator variability and increases the reliability of diagnoses of organ irregularities.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to imaging, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for use in imaging a body by means of the technique of electrical impedance tomography (EIT). A plurality of electrodes (E, to E16) are provided in electrical contact with the body (10) around the periphery of the body. A first electrical input signal is applied to at least one of the electrodes over a first time period (T1), and a second electrical input signal, which is preferably in inverted form of the first, is then applied to the at least one of the electrodes over a subsequent, second time period (T2). The resulting electrical output signal is measured at one or more of the remaining electrodes over the first and second time periods and the difference between the measured signal obtained during the first time period and that obtained during the second time period is calculated to provide a difference signal. The difference signal can be stored and used for image reconstruction. The invention has particular application in imaging neurological function within the body, where the impedance changes associated with neuronal depolarisations are very small and the resulting electrical signals measured at the body periphery are even smaller. By use of this technique electrical signals corresponding to the dynamic components of impedance change can be reinforced whilst those corresponding to other unwanted components can be cancelled.
Abstract:
A system for navigating a catheter probe through a body cavity includes a sensing coil (14) affixed to a distal end of the probe. Magnetic fields are projected into the body cavity to induce voltage signals in the sensing coil (14) that are sufficient to describe the orientation and position of the probe. A set of magnetic coils (20-26, 30-32, 36-42) each generates a substantially uniform field (27, 33, 43) in a single respective dimension. The orientation angles of the sensing coil may be determined from known values of the unidirectional fields and the measured induced voltage signals. Gradient magnetic fields with components in two dimensions are projected into the body cavity to induce another group of voltage signals. The geometrical intersection of constant voltage surfaces developed by certain gradient fields that produce the measured induced voltage signals is a set of lines on which the catheter is located. The point of intersection of such lines yields the positional coordinates.
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods are provided for performing an in situ characterization of a tissue mass which may be normal, malignant, or benign, and, based on the measured characteristics of the tissue mass, therapeutically treating the tissue mass to cause necrosis of the tissue. In an illustrative preferred embodiment, the characterization of the tissue is accomplished by measuring an electrical property of the tissue, such as electrical impedance, while treatment is accomplished by supplying heat to the tissue to induce cauterization. A probe (20) includes a plurality of electrodes (51-56) to effect the characterization and treatment.
Abstract:
The invention features improvements in PRK procedures that relate to preventing non-uniform removal of material from the corneal surface. It has been realized that protoablation by-products resulting during the PRK procedure can affect the accuracy and the predictability of the procedure. Under certain conditions, the plume of photoablation by-products (44) that have left the corneal surface (60) can non-uniformly redeposit onto the ablation area and thus affect the uniformity of subsequent material removal. The plume of photoablation by-products, in the space above the corneal surface, can also non-uniformly affect the escape of further photoablation products from the surface. In addition to the plume effects, it has been realized that the hydration level of the corneal tissue during the PRK procedure can vary over the ablation area and likewise non-uniformly affect the PRK procedure.
Abstract:
The present invention comprises homeopathic dilutions of growth factors and methods for their use. Disorders which may be effectively treated with the compositions of the present invention include chronic viral disorders, such as HIV, AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome and Epstein-Barr viral infections, cancer and diabetes. Homeopathic dilutions of growth factors are preferably administered orally. In alternative embodiment, patients are treated with radiofrequency signals corresponding to homeopathic dilutions of growth factors.
Abstract:
A substance for diagnosis or therapy of an animal. The substance includes an agent which is detectable or therapeutically active, the agent being linked to a carrier which is linked to a targeting site, whereby the agent accumulates in the lymphatic system of the animal to a greater degree than if the targeting site were absent.