Ultrasonic Device for Detecting the Heartbeat of a Patient

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention is an ultrasonic device for accurately detecting the heartbeat of a patient, particularly during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. It uses ultrasound waves transmitted into the body, with receivers picking up the Doppler-shifted waves produced by heart motion. The device features advanced signal analysis techniques to distinguish the heartbeat from noise, making it highly robust even in the electrically noisy MRI environment. It can track the heart's position and maintain reliable measurement, making it suitable even for situations such as fetal heart monitoring, where standard ECG methods are ineffective or unusable.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Triggering and synchronizing MRI or other imaging methods (CT, PET) with the patient's heartbeat to reduce motion artifacts and improve image quality
• Fetal heart monitoring during maternal MRI scans, where direct ECG is not feasible
• General noninvasive heart rate monitoring in environments with high electromagnetic interference
• Continuous cardiac monitoring during complex diagnostic or interventional procedures
• Heart monitoring for patients where skin access is limited or conventional ECG is contraindicated
• Remote or telemedical monitoring with wireless or flexible sensor arrays

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Provides reliable heartbeat detection in noisy environments such as MRI, overcoming limitations of ECG in such settings
• Non-invasive and does not require skin access, making it suitable for fetuses and patients with sensitive or inaccessible skin
• Improves image quality of MRI and other scans by accurately triggering imaging at the correct heartbeat moment
• MRI-compatible design avoids metallic materials and components that could pose safety risks or cause artifacts
• Flexible sensor mats adapt to patient anatomy for improved comfort and coverage, especially useful in fetal applications
• Continuous tracking of heart position allows for uninterrupted monitoring even if the patient or fetus moves
• Minimizes false triggers and missed heartbeats through advanced signal processing, increasing clinical reliability

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Patent Abstract

An exemplary device for detecting a heartbeat of a patient can be provided which can include a transmitter which can provide ultrasonic waves, a receiver that can receive Doppler-shifted ultrasonic waves, and a hardware analyzer coupled to the receiver and which can evaluate a particular moment of the heartbeat of the patient based on a time-dependent signal obtained from the receiver. The hardware analyzer device can comprise a spectrum analyzer configured to extract time-varying frequency component(s) from the time-dependent signal provided by the receiver, and a processing module which can evaluate the moment of the heartbeat based on a variation of at least one of the frequency components in time. The processing module can determine a window of interest (WOI) in time from the variation of the frequency component(s) in time, and the moment when the time-dependent signal provided by the receiver assumes a maximum within the WOI as the moment of the heartbeat.