Method and apparatus having photoacoustic patch with sphygmometer for automated blood pressure monitoring
AssigneeThe Johns Hopkins University
InventorsBrian Peter Bush, Emad Boctor, Laeben C. Lester
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Abstract
Several methods of automatically measuring blood pressure are disclosed, which may include applying a photoacoustic imaging band or patch coupled to a transducer or detector capable of detecting an imaging signal to an extremity of a patient. The detector may also include an ultrasonic or photoacoustic means of determining blood pressure. A device for automatically measuring blood pressure utilizing several methods and having a variety of configurations for obtaining blood pressure data from a patient is also disclosed.
Claims15
A method of automatically measuring blood pressure, comprising:
- applying a photoacoustic imaging band comprising a photoacoustic imaging transducer to an extremity of a patient;
- contacting the photoacoustic imaging band to a location on the extremity adjacent to a location of a vessel of interest;
- measuring a non-pulsatile flow or a pulsatile flow with a sphygmometer cuff also attached to the extremity of the patient, adjacent to the photoacoustic imaging band, wherein a central processing unit inflates the sphygmometer cuff until there is no longer a measurable flow through the vessel of interest, then deflates the sphygmometer cuff until a measurable flow returns;
- delivering acoustic energy to the extremity with the photoacoustic imaging transducer at the location of the vessel of interest;
- receiving imaging information generated in response to the delivered energy;
- and computing the acoustic energy;
- generating a detectable image of the vessel of interest from the imaging information received from the photoacoustic imaging transducer using the central processing unit, where the detectable image represents the vessel of interest;
- and
- analyzing the detectable image and the imaging information with the central processing unit to execute a software application to determine blood flow and blood pressure, wherein the flow patterns are analyzed to determine mean and diastolic blood pressure, and outputting a mean arterial pressure (MAP) based on the pressure at which a measurable flow returns.
A method of automatically measuring blood pressure, comprising:
- applying a photoacoustic imaging patch comprising a photoacoustic imaging transducer to an extremity of a patient;
- contacting the photoacoustic imaging patch to a location on the extremity adjacent to a location of a vessel of interest;
- measuring a non-pulsatile flow or a pulsatile flow with a sphygmometer cuff also attached to the extremity of the patient, adjacent to the photoacoustic imaging patch, wherein a central processing unit inflates the sphygmometer cuff until there is no longer a measurable flow through the vessel of interest, then deflates the sphygmometer cuff until a measurable flow returns;
- delivering acoustic energy to the extremity with the photoacoustic imaging transducer at the location of the vessel of interest;
- receiving imaging information generated in response to the delivered acoustic energy;
- and computing the acoustic energy;
- generating a detectable imaging signal of the vessel of interest from analyzing the imaging information using a central processing unit to execute a software application;
- and
- analyzing the detectable imaging signal and the delivered acoustic energy to determine blood flow and blood pressure using the central processing unit configured to execute a software application, wherein the flow patterns are analyzed to determine mean and diastolic blood pressure, and outputting a mean arterial pressure (MAP) based on the pressure at which a measurable flow returns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.