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US 9,173,580 B2Granted
Estimation of F-wave times of arrival (TOA) for use in the assessment of neuromuscular function
AssigneeNeuroMetrix, Inc.
InventorsXuan Kong, Zhixiu Han, Shai N. Gozani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the assessment of neuromuscular function by estimating motor unit F-wave component time of arrival (TOA), comprising: (i) determining and comparing F-wave component features so as to accurately identify individual F-wave components; (ii) repeatedly searching the individual F-wave components and extracting individual F-wavelets from the F-wave components so as to build a complete F-wave TOA profile; and (iii) computing and reporting TOA results for the assessment of neuromuscular function.
Claims31
A method for the assessment of neuromuscular function of an individual, the method comprising the steps of using a computer to:
- electrically stimulate a nerve so as to create a plurality of F-wave traces;
- identify specific waveform features of each of the plurality of F-wave traces;
- use the identified waveform features to identify all F-wavelets contained within the plurality of F-wave traces;
- estimate a time of arrival (TOA) for each F-wavelet contained within the plurality of F-wave traces;
- create a TOA profile for the nerve using the estimated TOA of each F-wavelet contained within the plurality of F-wave traces;
- and
- use the TOA profile of the nerve to assess neuromuscular function of the individual.
4 more elements
A method for identifying each of the constituent F-wavelets contained within a plurality F-wave traces, wherein the plurality of F-wave traces are created as a result of electrical stimulation of a nerve in a patient, the method comprising the steps of using a computer to:
- identify specific waveform features of the plurality of F-wave traces;
- identify F-wave components within the plurality of F-wave traces, wherein the F-wave components comprise activity regions separated by quiet regions;
- for each F-wave component identified within the plurality of F-wave traces, compare the F-wave component with at least one F-wave component of at least one other F-wave trace and calculate a similarity measurement for that F-wave component;
- for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which does not meet a pre-determined criteria, define the F-wave component as constituting a single F-wavelet, and for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which meets the pre-determined criteria, define the F-wave component as constituting more than one F-wavelet;
- and
- for each F-wave component defined to constitute more than one F-wavelet, decompose that F-wave component into the constituent F-wavelets of that F-wave component based on the similarity measurement for that F-wave component.
3 more elements
A method for creating an F-wave TOA profile for a nerve, the method comprising the steps of using a computer to:
- (1) electrically stimulate the nerve so as to create a plurality of F-wave traces;
- (2) identify specific waveform features of the plurality of F-wave traces;
- (3) use the identified waveform features, to identify individual F-wave components within each of the plurality of F-wave traces, wherein the F-wave components comprise activity regions separated by quiet regions;
- (4) compare each F-wave component within a specific one of the plurality of F-wave traces with at least one F-wave component of at least one other F-wave trace and calculate a similarity measurement for each F-wave component;
- (5) for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which does not meet a pre-determined criteria, define the F-wave component as constituting a single F-wavelet, and for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which meets the pre-determined criteria, define the F-wave component as constituting more than one F-wavelet;
- (6) for each F-wave component examined and determined to constitute more than one F-wavelet, decompose that F-wave component into the constituent F-wavelets of that F-wave component;
- define each of the remaining F-wave components as an F-wavelet;
- estimate the time of arrival (TOA) of each F-wavelet contained within the specific F-wave trace;
- and
- create a TOA profile for the nerve using the estimated TOAs from the specific F-wave trace.
7 more elements
A system for the assessment of neuromuscular function of an individual, the system comprising:
- a stimulator for stimulating a nerve so as to create a plurality of F-wave traces;
- a computer which is configured to:
- (i) identify specific waveform features of each of the plurality of F-wave traces;
- (ii) use the identified waveform features to identify all F-wavelets contained within the plurality of F-wave traces;
- (iii) estimate a time of arrival (TOA) for each F-wavelet contained within the plurality of F-wave traces;
- (iv) create a TOA profile for the nerve using the estimated TOA of each F-wavelet contained within the plurality of F-wave traces;
- and
- (v) use the TOA profile of the nerve to assess neuromuscular function of the individual.
5 more elements
A system for identifying each of the constituent F-wavelets contained within a plurality of F-wave traces, the system comprising:
- a stimulator for stimulating a nerve so as to create the plurality of F-wave traces;
- a computer which is configured to:
- (i) identify specific waveform features of the plurality of F-wave traces;
- (ii) identify F-wave components within the plurality of F-wave traces trace, wherein the F-wave components comprise activity regions separated by quiet regions;
- (iii) compare each of the F-wave components with at least one F-wave component of at least one other F-wave trace and calculate a similarity measurement for that F-wave component and,
- for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which does not meet a pre-determined criteria, define the F-wave component as constituting a single F-wavelet, and for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which meets the pre-determined criteria, define the F-wave component as constituting more than one F-wavelet and,
- for each F-wave component defined to constitute more than one F-wavelet, decompose that F-wave component into the constituent F-wavelets of that F-wave component based on the similarity measurement for that F-wave component.
4 more elements
A system for creating an F-wave TOA profile for a nerve, the system comprising:
- a stimulator for stimulating the nerve so as to create a plurality of F-wave traces;
- a computer which is configured to:
- (i) identify specific waveform features of each of the plurality of F-wave traces;
- (ii) use the identified waveform features to identify individual F-wave components within each of the plurality of F-wave traces, wherein the F-wave components comprise activity regions separated by quiet regions;
- (iii) compare each F-wave component within a specific one of the plurality of F-wave traces with at least one F-wave component of at least one other F-wave trace and calculate a similarity measurement for each F-wave component;
- (iv) define each F-wave component as constituting a single F-wavelet for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which does not meet a pre-determined criteria, and as constituting more than one F-wavelet for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which meets the pre-determined criteria,
- (v) decompose each F-wave component examined and determined to constitute more than one F-wavelet into the constituent F-wavelets of that F-wave component;
- (vi) define each of the remaining F-wave components as an F-wavelet;
- (vii) estimate the time of arrival (TOA) of each F-wavelet contained within the specific F-wave trace;
- and
- (viii) create a TOA profile for the nerve using the estimated TOAs from the specific F-wave trace.
8 more elements
A method for the assessment of neuromuscular function of a person, the method comprising the steps of using a computer to:
- electrically stimulate a nerve so as to create a plurality of F-wave traces;
- identify specific waveform features of each of the plurality of F-wave traces;
- use the identified waveform features to identify all F-wave components contained within the plurality of F-wave traces;
- estimate a time of arrival (TOA) for each F-wave component contained within the plurality of F-wave traces;
- create a TOA profile for the person's nerve using the estimated TOA of each F-wave component contained within the plurality of F-wave traces;
- and
- use the TOA profile of the person's nerve to assess neuromuscular function of the person.
4 more elements
A method for identifying each of the constituent F-wavelets contained within a plurality of F-wave traces, wherein the plurality of F-wave traces are created as a result of electrical stimulation of a nerve in a patient, the method comprising the steps of using a computer to:
- identify specific waveform features of the plurality of F-wave traces;
- identify F-wave components within the plurality of F-wave traces, wherein the F-wave components comprise activity regions separated by quiet regions;
- for each F-wave component identified from the plurality of F-wave traces, compare that F-wave component with at least one F-wave component of at least one other F-wave trace and calculate a similarity measurement for that F-wave component with respect to the at least one compared F-wave component;
- for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which does not meet a pre-determined criteria, define the F-wave component as constituting a single F-wavelet, and for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which meets the pre-determined criteria, examine the F-wave component as if constituting more than one F-wavelet;
- and
- for each F-wave component verified to constitute more than one F-wavelet, decompose that F-wave component into the constituent F-wavelets of that F-wave component so as to identify each of the constituent F-wavelets contained within the F-wave trace.
3 more elements
A method for creating an F-wave TOA profile for a person's nerve, the method comprising the steps of using a computer to:
- (1) electrically stimulate the nerve so as to create a plurality of F-wave traces;
- (2) identify specific waveform features of each of the plurality of F-wave traces;
- (3) using the identified waveform features, identify individual F-wave components within the plurality of F-wave traces, wherein the F-wave components comprise activity regions separated by quiet regions;
- (4) compare each F-wave component within a specific one of the plurality of F-wave traces with at least one F-wave component of at least one other F-wave trace and calculate a similarity measurement for each F-wave component;
- (5) for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which does not meet a pre-determined criteria, define the F-wave component as constituting a single F-wavelet;
- and for each F-wave component having a similarity measurement which meets the pre-determined criteria, examine the F-wave component as if constituting more than one F-wavelet;
- (6) for each F-wave component examined to constitute more than one F-wavelet, decompose that F-wave component into the constituent F-wavelets of that F-wave component;
- (7) treat each extracted F-wavelet as a new F-wave component, and apply steps (4) through (6) recursively until all decomposition has been effected;
- estimate the time of arrival (TOA) of each F-wavelet contained within the specific F-wave trace;
- and
- create a TOA profile for the person's nerve using the estimated TOAs.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.