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US 7,604,598 B2Granted
Apparatus, system and method for evaluation of esophageal function
AssigneeHadasit Medical Research Services and Development Ltd.
InventorsAzaria J J T Rein, Michael Lysiansky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method, system and apparatus for ultrasonically imaging boli that are swallowed, as they are passed through the esophagus. The trajectories of the boli are tracked, and image data corresponding to the esophagus thereby identified. Analysis of boli and esophagus image data enable esophageal parameters correlated thereto to be determined.
Claims45
An external, non-invasive method for monitoring passage of at least one food bolus through an esophagus whereby to evaluate esophageal function of a patient, comprising the steps:
- (a) non-invasively placing proximate an outside surface of the patient at least one ultrasonic transducer;
- (b) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic image data of said at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient;
- (c) tracking said at least one bolus in said image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by;
- (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (b):
- (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (c)(1);
- and
- (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus;
- and
- (d) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data.
6 more elements
An external, non-invasive comparative method for assessing an effect of a predetermined factor on esophageal function of a patient, comprising:
- (i) evaluating the esophageal function of said patient by following the steps:
- (a) non-invasively placing proximate an outside surface of the patient at least one ultrasonic transducer;
- (b) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic image data of at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient;
- (c) tracking said at least one bolus in the image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by;
- (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (b);
- (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (c)(1);
- and
- (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus;
- and
- (d) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data,
- wherein said bolus initially swallowed by the patient conforms to a first condition;
- (ii) repeating step (i), but wherein the bolus is now swallowed by the patient conforming to a second condition;
- and
- (iii) comparing results obtained between steps (i) and (ii).
11 more elements
An external, non-invasive comparative method for assessing an effect of added medication on esophageal function of a patient, comprising:
- (i) evaluating the esophageal function of said patient by following the steps:
- (a) non-invasively placing proximate an outside surface of the patient at least one ultrasonic transducer that is aligned substantially with a longitudinal axis of the esophagus of the patient;
- (b) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic image data of at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient;
- (c) tracking said at least one bolus in the image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by;
- (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (b);
- (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (c)(1);
- and
- (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus;
- and
- (d) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data,
- wherein said bolus of step (b) does not comprise said added medication;
- (ii) repeating step (i), wherein the bolus of step (b) now comprises said added medication;
- and
- (iii) comparing results obtained between steps (i) and (ii).
11 more elements
An external, non-invasive comparative method for assessing an effect of particular foodstuffs on esophageal function of a patient, comprising:
- (i) evaluating the esophageal function of said patient by following the steps:
- (a) non-invasively placing proximate an outside surface of the patient at least one ultrasonic transducer that is aligned substantially with a longitudinal axis of the esophagus of the patient;
- (b) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic image data of at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one food bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient;
- (c) tracking said at least one bolus in the image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by;
- (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (b);
- (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (c)(1);
- and
- (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus;
- and
- (d) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data,
- wherein said bolus initially swallowed by the patient comprises a datum foodstuff
- (ii) repeating step (i) but wherein the bolus now swallowed by the patient replaced by a bolus of the particular foodstuff being investigated;
- and
- (iii) comparing results obtained between steps (i) and (ii).
11 more elements
An external, non-invasive system for evaluating esophageal function of a patient, comprising:
- at least one ultrasonic transducer;
- an ultrasonic imaging system electrically coupled to the ultrasonic transducer;
- at least one analysis unit electrically coupled to the ultrasonic imaging system, characterized in that the at least one analysis unit is adapted for evaluating esophageal function by performing:
- (a) acquiring, from said ultrasonic transducer, which has been non-invasively placed proximate an outside surface of the patient, ultrasonic image data of at least one bolus at a plurality of temporal intervals as said at least one bolus passes through the esophagus after being swallowed by the patient;
- (b) tracking said at least one bolus in the image data to identify esophagus and bolus image data corresponding to said bolus and to said esophagus in said image data by;
- (1) determining global motion of the esophagus in the image data acquired in step (a);
- (2) aligning image data in consecutive image data by correcting for the global motion determined in step (b)(1);
- and
- (3) identifying esophagus image data by first identifying a position of the bolus image in successive images corresponding to the bolus traversing the esophagus;
- and
- (c) determining at least one esophagus function parameter from the said bolus and esophagus image data.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.