Coil positioning system for non-invasive brain sensor

Abstract

A fixed or worn helmet-like medical diagnostic device has motorized gimbals that automatically pivot to a position around a patient's head. An end effector extends radially from the gimbal towards the head to place a coil or other orientation sensor against the scalp. The coil sensor may be part of a sensitive circuit to measure eddy currents within the brain. A comparison is made between an accelerometer or other inclinometer on the sensor and an accelerometer or other inclinometer on the device base to determine an accurate 3D orientation of the sensor when it rests against the head. This orientation may compensate for coil measurements, re-find accurate positions, or plot opposite sides of the patient's skull, even if the patient is unconscious to be dysphoria. The head may scan in its entirety, or may cause spot scans according to other diagnostic data.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 449,238, filed on March 1, 2023, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 588,278, filed on October 5, 2023, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

[0003] STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

[0004] not applicable Technical Field

[0005] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to arrangements for detecting and measuring electromagnetic anomalies within a subject's head for diagnostic purposes, with specially adapted devices to be attached thereto, including devices for indicating the location of the sensors on the body. Specifically, the embodiments relate to robotically positioning and repositioning a coil or other directional sensor against a subject's scalp, detecting the precise anatomical location and orientation of the sensor relative to the head, and outputting calibrated measurements. Background Art

[0006] Diagnosing a patient who may have had a stroke is often difficult because stroke patients are often unconscious and there are few, if any, visible indications of what is happening inside the patient's skull. Further, attending physicians are under time pressure to continue with a course of treatment. Without treatment, or with the wrong treatment, every minute that passes results in more and more severe, and often permanent, brain damage.

[0007] The wrong treatment can be fatal. Treatment for ischemic stroke involves the administration of blood thinners. However, if the patient is actually experiencing a hemorrhagic stroke, the blood thinners may worsen the problem by allowing internal bleeding in the brain to continue (not attenuated by the blood's natural clotting properties).

[0008] Currently, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the two gold standards for diagnosing and monitoring brain health in stroke patients. When available, they help tremendously by providing attending physicians with a view inside a patient's brain. And, they are taken repeatedly on patients in order to track progress, or lack thereof.

[0009] However, these devices are large and expensive, often require specialized personnel, and are mostly limited to larger hospital systems. CT scans produce a non-negligible radiation dose, which increases the patient's risk of cancer. Neither can be used continuously at the patient's bedside.

[0010] There is a need in the art for portable and less expensive systems that can, among other things, detect jet abnormalities within a patient's head and monitor them over time. Summary of the invention

[0011] A medical diagnostic device for a patient's head includes a temporarily or permanently fixed headrest base with a gimbal assembly that can be pivoted to the latitude and longitude of the patient's spherical skull. An end effector mounted on the gimbal assembly can be robotically extended inward from the gimbal to place a coil or other directional sensor against the patient's scalp. When pressed against the scalp, the sensor can be slightly tilted to conform to the local topology of the scalp. A tilt sensor attached to the coil sensor measures this tilt relative to the base, and the precise orientation and position of the coil sensor relative to the headrest is then known to obtain magnetoelectric measurements of the coil.

[0012] Precisely localized measurements, such as eddy current measurements, can be compared over time or with respect to the left and right hemispheres of the brain.Computed tomography (CT) data or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data can be uploaded into the device for spot checking.

[0013] Some embodiments of the present invention relate to an inductive sensor device for brain diagnosis, the device comprising: a headrest base (plinth) configured to accommodate a subject's head, the subject's head having an imaginary spherical center point; a first inclinometer rigidly attached to the base; a gimbal bracket pivotally attached to the base and configured to pivot a mounting point on the gimbal bracket to a latitude and longitude about the center point; a radial extender mounted to the mounting point of the gimbal bracket, the radial extender configured to extend an end effector inwardly along a radial line relative to the center point; a coil sensor attached to the end effector; and a second inclinometer attached to the sensor.

[0014] The device may further include a memory and a computer processor operatively coupled to a machine-readable, non-transitory medium embodying information indicating instructions for causing the computer processor to perform operations comprising: comparing tilt angles from the first inclinometer and the second inclinometer to determine a relative orientation of the coil sensors; and calculating a three-dimensional (3D) anatomical position of measurements from the coil sensors based on the orientation.

[0015] The operations may further include: adjusting the measurements from the sensor based on the orientation. The adjustments may include: compensating for movement of the subject's head between measurements at the same anatomical location. The operations may further include: commanding the gimbal to rotate to a specified latitude and a specified longitude; directing the radial extender to extend the sensor to a specified latitude and a specified longitude; generating measurements based on outputs produced by the sensor; and associating the measurements with the 3D anatomical location to produce anatomically located measurements. The anatomically located measurements may be from the left hemisphere of the brain / head, and the operations may further include: taking anatomically located measurements on the right hemisphere of the brain / head; comparing the measurements from the left and right hemispheres of the head; and outputting an indication based on the comparison. The anatomically located measurements may be from an earlier time, and the operations may further include: taking anatomically located measurements at a later time; comparing the measurements from the earlier time and the later time; and outputting an indication based on the comparison. The operations may further include: accessing computed tomography (CT) data or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from a scan of the head; and determining anatomical coordinates in the head based on the CT data or the MRI data, wherein the specified latitude and the specified longitude are based on the anatomical coordinates. The operations may further include: generating a set of anatomically located measurements including the anatomically located measurements; and generating a physical topography of the head based on the measurements or rendering an image based on the measurements. The device may further include: a resistive, inductive, and capacitive (RLC) circuit electrically connected to the coil sensor, and a frequency counter electrically connected to the RLC circuit, and the operations may further include: generating a measurement value based on an output from the frequency counter when the coil sensor is at a skull position on the head. The coil sensor may be a first coil sensor, the RLC circuit may be a first RLC circuit, and the frequency counter may be a first frequency counter, and the device may further include: a second coil sensor having a diameter greater than or smaller than that of the first coil sensor, the first coil sensor and the second coil sensor sharing a housing; a second RLC circuit electrically connected to the second coil sensor; and a second frequency counter electrically connected to the second RLC circuit.

[0016] The first inclinometer and the second inclinometer may include three-dimensional (3D) accelerometers. The radial extender may include a scissoring device or a telescoping mechanism. The apparatus may further include: a motor; a pulley on the mounting point; and a pulley cable extending between the motor and the radial extender through the pulley, the motor being positioned away from the mounting point to avoid electromagnetic interference with the coil sensor. Some embodiments relate to a method for anatomically positioning measurements in a subject's brain, the method comprising: providing: a headrest base configured to accommodate the subject's head, the subject's head having an imaginary spherical center point; a first inclinometer rigidly attached to the base; a gimbal mount pivotably attached to the base and configured to pivot a mounting point on the gimbal mount to a latitude and longitude about the center point; a radial extender mounted to the mounting point of the gimbal mount, the radial extender configured to extend an end effector inwardly along a radial line relative to the center point; a coil sensor attached to the end effector; and a second inclinometer attached to the sensor; comparing the tilt angles from the first inclinometer and the second inclinometer to determine the relative orientation of the sensors; and calculating a three-dimensional (3D) anatomical location of the measurements from the sensors based on the orientation.

[0017] The method may further include: adjusting measurements from the sensor based on the orientation. The method may further include: commanding the gimbal to a specified latitude and a specified longitude; directing the radial extender to extend the sensor to the specified latitude and the specified longitude; generating measurements based on outputs produced by the sensor; and associating the measurements with 3D anatomical locations to produce anatomically located measurements. The anatomically located measurements may be from a left hemisphere of the brain / head, and the method may further include: taking anatomically located measurements on a right hemisphere of the head; comparing the measurements from the left and right hemispheres of the head; and outputting an indication based on the comparison. The anatomically located measurements may be from an earlier time, and the method may further include: taking anatomically located measurements at a later time; comparing the measurements from the earlier and later times; and outputting an indication based on the comparison.

[0018] Some embodiments relate to a method of manufacturing an inductive sensor device for brain diagnosis, the method comprising: providing a headrest base configured to accommodate a subject's head having an imaginary spherical center point; rigidly attaching a first inclinometer to the base; pivotally attaching a gimbal bracket to the base so that the gimbal bracket is configured to pivot a mounting point on the bracket to a latitude and longitude about the center point; mounting a radial extender to the mounting point of the gimbal bracket so that the radial extender is configured to extend an end effector inwardly along a radial line relative to the center point; attaching a coil sensor to the end effector; and attaching a second inclinometer to the sensor.

[0019] The method may include a combination of features of the apparatus, and the apparatus and method may include some of the described aspects and not others in various combinations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a medical diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0021] Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a device according to an embodiment.

[0022] Figure 3A A human subject is illustrated in an apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0023] Figure 3B The diagram shows radial extension to Figure 3A The coil sensor is attached to the subject's scalp.

[0024] Figure 3C is extended to Figure 3B A perspective view of the mask above the device.

[0025] Figure 4 The gimbal is illustrated on the temple of a human subject, according to an embodiment.

[0026] Figure 5A are perspective top and side views of a radial extender retracted according to an embodiment.

[0027] Figure 5B The diagram shows an extended Figure 5A Radial extender.

[0028] Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a medical diagnostic device according to an embodiment.

[0029] Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a device showing a non-nominal tilt of a directional coil sensor according to an embodiment.

[0030] Fig. 8Ais a screen rendering of a lateral view of a patient's head and brain, according to an embodiment.

[0031] Figure 8B is a screen rendering of a ventral view of a patient's head and brain, according to an embodiment.

[0032] Fig.9A is a screen rendering of a lateral view of a patient's head and brain, according to an embodiment.

[0033] Fig. 9B is a screen rendering of a ventral view of a patient's head and brain, according to an embodiment.

[0034] Fig.10 is a connection diagram of a gimbal control system according to an embodiment.

[0035] Fig.11 is a flow chart illustrating a process according to an embodiment.

[0036] Fig.12 is a flow chart illustrating a process according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] A medical device for positioning and orienting a coil or other type of directional sensor at a location around a patient's head is described. The positioning device can be small enough to be placed at the bedside or worn by the patient for point-of-care or continuous monitoring or diagnosis. Its sensor scans can replace scans by much larger computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines to some extent, and its size and low recurring cost allow for more frequent use. It may also have utility in the following areas: outpatient care, rapid triage, military, nursing facilities, sports, ambulances, and emergency care environments.

[0038] The coil sensor can use eddy current damping (ECD) to compare conductivity in various parts of a patient's brain, comparing conductivity with respect to the left and right hemispheres, over time, or with respect to the brains of other people. In this application, "head" and "brain" are sometimes used interchangeably in the field of diagnosis.

[0039] Unlike conventional eddy current damping (ECD) sensors used in the industry for metal crack detection, which consist of a bridge circuit that measures the impedance of a coil sensor, some embodiments may pair the coil sensor with a capacitor to form an electrical resonant circuit.

[0040] Automated eddy current-based techniques have numerous applications for assessing brain health. These devices can be used to measure changes in brain fluid status either continuously or intermittently, and they can be used in the following settings: assessing ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, brain tumors, hydrocephalus, arteriovenous malformations, congenital anomalies, traumatic brain injury, concussion, vascular neurosurgery, endovascular neurosurgery, neurodegenerative diseases (i.e., Alzheimer's disease), and monitoring brain health during infusion of drugs targeting the brain and other diseases related to brain health.

[0041] Using information about conductivity shifts in the brain as changes in brain fluid volume, such devices can provide information about the depth, location, size, amount, progression, type, and conductivity of brain fluid changes.

[0042] Additionally, if the device is used in an operating room, it may also be able to provide information about the location, size, and motion of surgical tools. This could be used in endovascular neurosurgery (i.e., thrombectomy, coiling, etc.), cardiac surgery (i.e., dislodged clots that reach the brain causing ischemic stroke), or general neurosurgery (i.e., assessing bleeding or implant placement).

[0043] Embodiments of the described device may have several design forms. The device may be similar to a helmet and sit on the patient's head for point-of-care or continuous diagnosis or monitoring of brain health. Alternatively, the automated device may be located at the bedside and resemble a robotic arm or other fixed device. In either case, the automated device may include a gimbal mount and motors that move the sensor in x, y, and / or z planes, cylindrical coordinates, or spherical coordinates to capture one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) conductivity information about the brain. More specifically, in addition to moving around an imaginary spherical center point in the patient's head, the device may also move radially (i.e., closer to or farther from the center point) to further obtain depth information about the tracked object. Movement in the radial direction may also allow for changes in spatial, temporal, and depth resolution.

[0044] Various other types of sensors may be introduced on or alongside the inductive damping sensor, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, piezoelectric sensors, or temperature sensors. The automation device may include encoders or precision stepper motors to package conductivity information with spatial information. These additional sensors and machines may be used to improve the overall accuracy or precision of the inductive damping sensor. For example, accelerometers and gyroscopes may allow for device positioning and trajectory mapping as the device moves around the body, while temperature sensors may allow for temperature compensation to improve signal accuracy.

[0045] Data acquired by the device can be stored locally, remotely, in the cloud, or on a cellular network. Data transmission can be accomplished using wired, Signals, radio frequencies or infrared. This could allow for the possibility of remote diagnosis based on patient data and also allow for the possibility of reporting information directly into the electronic medical record (eMR). This would also allow for the merging of data for analysis.

[0046] After or during data collection, the data can be displayed to the healthcare provider in several forms. The output can be shown on a local computer or tablet, or it can be stored on the eHR for later recall. Images of the brain conductivity distribution can be collected and shown in 2D or 3D graphics. There may be a "scrubbing" function where the user can temporarily traverse multiple images over a certain period of time. In addition, the percentage and probability of lesions present or changing can be displayed to the user.

[0047] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an inductive sensor medical diagnostic device assembly 100 for brain diagnosis according to an embodiment. The inductive sensor device 102 includes a headrest base 104 to which a headrest 106 is attached.

[0048] The headrest 106 is curved and positioned so that it will hold the human subject's head so that the imaginary center point 110 of the subject's skull is slightly centered within the larger device in the positioning envelope of the head. The headband 108 helps to secure the subject's head firmly to the headrest 106. The cervical collar 124 can gently attach the patient's neck in place to minimize large head movements and help hold the rest of the patient's body in place.

[0049] Attached to the headrest base 104 is a gimbal bracket 112, which in this case is an assembly of two gimbal arms: an outer gimbal arm 114 and an inner gimbal arm 116. The outer gimbal arm 114 is attached to a raised portion of the headrest base 104 and pivots about an imaginary axis extending vertically through the top of the patient's head. The outer gimbal arm 114 can circumnavigate the patient's head to different longitudes. The inner gimbal arm 116 is attached to the outer gimbal arm 114 by two pivots, one on opposite sides of the head. The inner gimbal arm 116 can reach different latitudes on the patient's head by pivoting up and down relative to the outer gimbal arm 114 and the patient's head. That is, the inner gimbal arm 116 can rotate the mounting point 120 up and down to different latitudes. The outer gimbal arm 114 rotates the inner gimbal arm 116 to different longitudes, and thus rotates the mounting point 120 to different longitudes. Thus, the assembly of the gimbal bracket 112 (with the outer gimbal arm 114 and the inner gimbal arm 116 ) can pivot the mounting point 120 to various latitudes and longitudes about the imaginary center point 110 .

[0050] The radial extender 118 is mounted to the mounting point 120 of the gimbal bracket 112 and is oriented to extend inwardly. This particular radial extender extends its end effector along a radial line to the imaginary center point 110.

[0051] The coil sensor 122 is mounted on the end effector of the radial extender 118 so that the coil sensor 122 moves along a radial line to the latitude and longitude where the gimbal mount 112 resides. When extended, the coil sensor can be pressed against the subject's head to get as non-invasively close to the patient's brain as possible.

[0052] Several separate coils of different diameters can be nested inside each other to allow depth mapping of readings within the head. Smaller coils generally measure less depth than larger coils. In order to obtain a good signal-to-noise ratio with a small coil, it can be important to place the small coil close to the head, as close to the subject's brain as possible.

[0053] Although coil sensors are shown in the various figures, other types of directional or omnidirectional sensors may also be used, including antennas, infrared, temperature, tactile, terrain sensors or other sensors. In addition to sensors, other end effectors may also be used, such as robotic graspers, cranial drills, needles, etc.

[0054] Figure 2 2 is a horizontal cutaway view of a gimbaled device assembly 200 according to an embodiment. Device 202 includes a neck pillow 206 supported by a headrest base and a headband 208 extending to the left and right sides of a subject's head. Gimbal arms 214 and 216 pivot mounting point 220 at a fixed radius about an imaginary head center point 210, which is more or less at the center of the headband. Sensor 222 extends inwardly from mounting point 220 via a radial extender. Both the gimbal arms and the radial extender are driven by a motor.

[0055] Pivot point 230 pivotally connects outer gimbal arm 214 to the fixed headrest base portion of assembly 200. Stepper motor 234 precisely rotates outer gimbal arm 214 about pivot point 230 to a specified longitude about the patient's head.

[0056] Pivot point 232 and pivot point 233 pivotally connect inner gimbal arm 216 to outer gimbal arm 214. Stepper motor 236 rotates inner gimbal arm about pivot points 232 and 233 to precisely a specified latitude above or below the patient's head.

[0057] The stepper motor 238 pulls the cable through the pulleys (some of which are shown as pulley 246) to extend or retract the radial extender. There may be one or more pulley and cable systems. In an exemplary embodiment, one cable system with both a pulling side and a pushing side allows the cable to remain taut without slack.

[0058] By locating the stepper motor 238 remotely from the mounting point 220 housing the sensor 222, the ferrous and non-ferrous metals within the motor are kept away from the sensor. This minimizes or otherwise avoids potential electromagnetic interference (EMI) between the otherwise close motor and sensor.

[0059] Although stepper motors are used in the exemplary embodiment, other types of motors with encoders or other precision measuring devices may be used. It has been found that stepper motors with stop or limit switches work well to accurately and precisely position the gimbal to obtain the resolution required for patient data.

[0060] Figure 3A-3C A human head 340 is illustrated undergoing a medical diagnosis in device 302 .

[0061] exist Figure 3A 3, radial extender 318 is retracted so that sensor 322 is away and well clear of head 340. In this retracted position, the gimbal mount can freely rotate around the head without mechanical interference.

[0062] exist Figure 3B 3, the radial extender 318 is extended so that the sensor 322 is lightly pressed against the head 340. The radial extender 318 is of the scissor-like type having legs that swing away from each other when open and around each other when closed.

[0063] In this extended position, the sensor 322 may be tilted slightly from its otherwise standard orientation, which is perpendicular to a radial line protruding from the imaginary center of the head. Compensation for tilt is discussed below.

[0064] In some cases, it may be beneficial to rotate the gimbal mount in latitude, longitude, or both as the sensor is extended in order to gently drag the sensor along the topology of the skull. This may be done to perform a quick scan in an emergency, to make continuous measurements in space, or for pre- or post-calibration of an instrument. Otherwise, the sensor may be fully or partially retracted before each gimbal move to a different latitude and longitude.

[0065] Some scans can be done faster, safer, or more accurately if they can be done without intervention from the patient themselves. Figure 3B The mask 342 is shown in a retracted position.

[0066] Figure 3C is a perspective view of a mask 342 extending outwardly over the subject's head in apparatus 302. Mask 342 can help prevent the subject's hands and fingers from intentionally or accidentally interfering with the sensors. Unconscious patients often make wiping motions on their faces when a foreign object touches their eyes, nose, or lips. Covering the head with a mask can also prevent sheets, tubes, or wires from the bed from interfering with an otherwise smooth scanning process, and it can serve as a reminder to discourage others from reaching in while a scan is being performed. Thus, the gimbal can rotate around the head unhindered through its scanning point.

[0067] Figure 4 The gimbal is shown positioned over the temple of a human subject. This may be part of a full scan, or as a spot check of the area around the temple.

[0068] Gimbal arms 414 and 416 of device 402 are supported by headrest base 404 and have been swiveled over the right temple of the subject's head. Sensor 422 has not yet been extended to the patient's skin. For clarity, the mask is shown retracted.

[0069] This is part of a scan that may include a spot check of the temple in response to data from a computed tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The data from the CT or MRI may be uploaded to a computer system to automatically or manually determine one or more anatomical coordinates at which further scanning should be performed.

[0070] For example, upon admission, a patient may undergo a CT or MRI scan that reveals ischemia at specific 3D coordinates in the patient's brain. After administration of blood thinners, the above anatomical coordinates are monitored within the patient using the described device.

[0071] An "anatomical coordinate," "anatomical position," or "anatomical site" is a point, area, or volume on or within the body that remains relatively stationary relative to organs and other features of the body, or as otherwise known in the art. The coordinate, position, or site may or may not be located at an identifiable or named part of the body, as it may be located within the volume of an otherwise heterogeneous organ. Analogous to an "anatomical" position is a geographic location or absolute position.

[0072] The device can employ intelligent or adaptive scanning modes based on the results of CT, MRI, or previous scans to maximize resolution for specific abnormalities and minimize scanning time.

[0073] However, at the beginning of care for a patient, a predetermined fixed (rote) measurement scan of the head may be taken. These measurements (both of the sensor tilt angle when the sensor touches the head and of the coil sensor electromagnetic readings) may be taken with an eye toward establishing a basic skull shape for reference points and internal eddy current baselines. In some embodiments, a set number of discrete points, such as 64 discrete points, may be measured over the head. Alternatively, the sensor may be continuously slid over the head to produce a more continuous, analog set of measurements.

[0074] Figure 5A-Figure 5B The radial extender 518 is illustrated in two positions: unextended, and with the end effector 544 and sensor 522 extending downwardly from the mounting point 520 .

[0075] exist Figure 5A 546 is fixed to a force transmission shaft common to the partial gears. When the cable 548 is pulled through the pulley 546 by the motor, the pulley 546 causes the partial gears to rotate relative to each other to extend the scissor-like mechanism. The rotation continues until the limit switch is switched.

[0076] exist Figure 5B 540, the scissor-like mechanism is mostly extended. Another pulley 547 is shown, which is used for retraction. When the pulley 547 is rotated by a second cable (not shown), it causes the partial gear to rotate in the other direction, thereby retracting the end effector 544 toward the mounting point 520. The cable can also have an end attached to the end effector to pull the end effector toward the mounting point.

[0077] In addition to scissor-like mechanisms, telescoping devices and other mechanical devices may be used to extend and retract the sensor.The motor may be collocated within the radial extender, or may be remotely located as in the exemplary embodiment shown.

[0078] Figure 6 678 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a medical diagnostic device 602 with a retractable radial extender 650. The radial extender 650 is shown extended so that the sensor 622 touches the top of the head of a small subject. The radial extender 650 can be moved to the outermost extreme as shown or retracted to the limit switch 678.

[0079] A three-dimensional (3D) accelerometer 652 is rigidly attached to the headrest base 604 and effectively measures the inclination 658 between the nominal base and a flat table by detecting the gravity vector. The inclination may be due to the angle of the bed, bedding, supportive cushions, or other items. The accelerometer 652 outputs the xyz acceleration components due to gravity. The orientation of the gravity vector gives the absolute orientation of the accelerometer 652 in space.

[0080] If the measurements from the accelerometer 652 change suddenly, this may indicate that someone or something bumped into the table or bed or otherwise moved the device during the measurement scan. Motion artifacts in the accelerometer data may indicate that a rescan or compensation of the data is necessary.

[0081] Another accelerometer package (3D accelerometer 654) is mounted at the end effector of radial extender 618. This accelerometer package can provide deflection data at the end of the radial extender for calibration or other purposes.

[0082] The accelerometer 656 is rigidly attached to the sensor 622. The xyz acceleration component due to gravity in the accelerometer 656 is compared to the component of the accelerometer 652, which enables the orientation of the sensor 622 relative to the headrest base 604 to be calculated. This orientation can be used to determine the sensor orientation relative to the headrest and therefore the skull itself. The sensor orientation is evaluated to determine the precise anatomical location within the patient's brain at which the sensor is pointing.

[0083] Although an accelerometer is shown for the inclinometer, other sensors may be used to indicate tilt, including sensors that employ plumb weights, level bubbles, or other tools.

[0084] A topographic map of the skull can be automatically generated using successive sensor orientations acquired around the scalp. This can provide a "sanity check" to see if the sensor's inclinometer is performing precisely and / or accurately.

[0085] A preliminary scan may be performed to pre-map the head positions. Also, post-scan mapping may be performed. Since the sensor is held at each position during mapping, sensor recordings at all positions may also be acquired during each scan. These scans may enable compensation for movement of the patient or device during treatment.

[0086] Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of medical diagnostic device 702 showing the non-nominal tilt or inclination of coil sensor 722. Base inclinometer 752 is attached to headrest base 704, which supports coil sensor 722 via a gimbal mount and radial extenders. Inclinometer 756 is attached to sensor 722 and indicates its orientation relative to gravity.

[0087] The 3D anatomical location of each measurement from the coil sensor is calculated by comparing the tilt angles of inclinometers 756 and 752 relative to gravity. That is, even if sensor 756 is pointed at an angle 760 from its nominal radial direction relative to an imaginary center point within the skull, the system can determine that the eddy current measurement is in front of (in the head) where it would otherwise occur. Measurements from the coil, such as frequency measurements or resistance measurements, can be appropriately adjusted based on the orientation.

[0088] Figures 8A-9B Screen renderings of lateral and ventral views of the brain 862 within a subject's head 860 are shown.

[0089] Figure 8A-8B A rendering 800A of a lateral view of the brain and a rendering 800B of a ventral view of the brain are shown, respectively. An area of ​​increased conductivity 864 is shown centered between the left and right hemispheres in the occipital lobe. Increased conductivity may be caused by blood pooling, which indicates a hemorrhagic stroke.

[0090] Figure 9A-9B A rendering 900A of a lateral view of the brain and a rendering 900B of a ventral view of the brain are shown, respectively. Figures 8A-8B The area 964 of increased conductivity is located in the same anatomical location in the brain as area 864, but is larger in size. This is a hallmark of a worsening hemorrhagic stroke. This can be seen in both the lateral and ventral views.

[0091] Increased pooling of blood due to this data may prompt urgent intervention for the patient to drain the blood or at least relieve the pressure that may be building up within the brain.

[0092] Using eddy current coil sensors, determining a baseline conductivity throughout the brain may be important at the beginning of treatment. Then, as shown here, the conductivity can change over time, and those changes and anatomical locations can be marked or otherwise indicated to the treating staff.

[0093] Another way to use the eddy current coil sensor is to compare the readings from anatomical locations that are exactly opposite each other in the left and right hemispheres of the brain. If the readings are essentially the same, it may indicate that both sides are healthy. However, if the measurements are very different between the left and right hemispheres, it may indicate that there is a pooling of blood (hemorrhagic) or a lack of blood (ischemic) in either of these areas. Such findings may prompt further diagnostics, such as CT or MRI scans.

[0094] Fig.10 A gimbal control system 1000 is illustrated, which is controlled by a tablet device or personal computer (PC) 1080 .

[0095] The computer processor microcontroller 1070 processes machine instructions and data from the machine-readable non-transitory memory 1072. The memory 1072 includes instructions (such as a programming language) to cause the microcontroller 1070 to command the gimbal and radial extender to move through the motor driver 1068, energize the coils through the coil sensor driver 1080, read the accelerometers 1052, 1054, and 1056, process the data, and indicate the functions and measurements through a screen, light emitting diode (LED) 1074, audio, or other output device.

[0096] The microcontroller 1070 energizes a first resistive, inductive, and capacitive (RLC) circuit 1082, which is connected to a first frequency counter 1086. The first RLC circuit is connected to the outer coil 1022A. Based on the output from the frequency counter 1086, a measurement is generated for the large coil. The microcontroller 1070 also energizes another resistive RLC circuit 1084, which is connected to another frequency counter 1088. The second RLC circuit is connected to the inner coil 1022C. For simplicity, the circuit of the coil 1022B is not shown. Based on the output from the frequency counter 1088, a measurement is generated for the small coil.

[0097] Motors 1034 , 1036 , and 1038 are controlled by controller 1070 via their respective motor drivers 1068 .

[0098] Computer hardware systems suitable for implementing or controlling microcontrollers include personal computers (PCs), front-end or back-end server groups, or other types of computer systems. The computer system may include a central processing unit (CPU) for running software applications and optionally operating systems. The CPU may be composed of one or more isomorphic or heterogeneous processing cores. The memory stores applications and data used by the CPU. The storage device may provide non-volatile storage and other computer-readable media for applications and data, and may include fixed disk drives, removable disk drives, flash memory devices, and CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, Blu-ray discs, HD-DVDs, or other optical storage devices, as well as signal transmission and storage media. The user input device may convey user input from one or more users to the computer system, and examples of these user input devices may include keyboards, mice, joysticks, touch pads, touch screens, still or video cameras, and / or microphones. The network interface may allow the computer system to communicate with other computer systems via an electronic communication network, and may include wired or wireless communications through local area networks and wide area networks (such as the Internet). The audio processor may be suitable for generating analog or digital audio outputs from instructions and / or data provided by the CPU, memory, and / or storage device. Components of a computer system including the CPU, memory, data storage devices, user input devices, network interfaces, and audio processors may be connected via one or more data buses.

[0099] The graphics subsystem may be connected to the data bus and the components of the computer system. The graphics subsystem may include a graphics processing unit (GPU) and a graphics memory. The graphics memory may include a display memory (e.g., a frame buffer) for storing pixel data of each pixel of an output image. The graphics memory may be integrated in the same device as the GPU, connected to the GPU as a separate device and / or implemented in a memory. Pixel data may be provided directly from the CPU to the graphics memory. Alternatively, the CPU may provide the GPU with data and / or instructions defining the desired output image, and the GPU may generate pixel data of one or more output images according to the data and / or instructions. The data and / or instructions defining the desired output image may be stored in a memory and / or graphics memory. In an embodiment, the GPU may include a 3D rendering capability for generating pixel data of an output image according to instructions and data defining the geometry, lighting, shading, texturing, motion and / or camera parameters of a scene. The GPU may further include one or more programmable execution units capable of executing a shader program.

[0100] The graphics subsystem may periodically output pixel data of an image from the graphics memory for display on a display device. The display device may be any device capable of displaying visual information in response to a signal from the computer system, including cathode ray tubes (CRTs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma, and organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. The computer system may provide analog or digital signals to the display device.

[0101] According to various embodiments, the CPU may be one or more general purpose microprocessors with one or more processing cores. Further embodiments may be implemented using one or more CPUs with a microprocessor architecture specifically adapted for highly parallel and computationally intensive applications such as media and interactive entertainment applications.

[0102] The components of the system may be connected via a network, which may be any combination of the Internet, an Internet Protocol (IP) network, an intranet, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a virtual private network (VPN), a public switched telephone network (PSTN), or any other type of network that supports data communication between the devices described herein. The network may include both wired and wireless connections, including optical links. Many other examples are possible and apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure. In the discussion herein, the network may or may not be specifically indicated.

[0103] Fig.111 is a flow chart illustrating a process 1100 according to an embodiment. In operation 1101, a headrest base configured to accommodate a subject's head having an imaginary spherical center point is provided. The following are also provided: a first inclinometer rigidly attached to the base; a gimbal mount pivotably attached to the base and configured to pivot a mounting point on the gimbal mount to a latitude and longitude around the center point; a radial extender configured to extend the end effector inwardly relative to the center point; a coil sensor attached to the end effector; and a second inclinometer attached to the coil sensor. In operation 1102, computed tomography (CT) data or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from a scan of the head is received, read, or otherwise accessed. In operation 1103, anatomical coordinates in the head are determined based on the CT data or the MRI data. In operation 1104, the gimbal mount is commanded to reach a specified latitude and a specified longitude, wherein the specified latitude and the specified longitude are based on the anatomical coordinates. In operation 1105, the radial extender is directed to extend the sensor to a specified latitude and a specified longitude. In operation 1106, a measurement is generated based on the output generated by the sensor. In operation 1107, the tilt angles from the first inclinometer and the second inclinometer are compared to determine the relative orientation of the sensor. In operation 1108, a three-dimensional (3D) anatomical location of the measurement from the sensor is calculated based on the relative orientation. In operation 1109, the measurement is associated with the 3D anatomical location to produce an anatomically located measurement result.

[0104] Fig.12 12 is a flow chart illustrating a process 1200 according to an embodiment. In operation 1201, a headrest base configured to accommodate a subject's head having an imaginary spherical center point is provided. In operation 1202, a first inclinometer is rigidly attached to the base. In operation 1203, a gimbal mount is pivotally attached to the base such that the gimbal mount is configured to pivot a mounting point on the gimbal mount to a latitude and longitude about the center point. In operation 1204, a radial extender is mounted to a mounting point of the gimbal mount so that the radial extender is configured to extend the end effector inwardly relative to the center point. In operation 1205, a coil sensor is attached to the end effector. In operation 1206, a second inclinometer is attached to the sensor.

[0105] Although the foregoing has described what is considered to be the best mode and / or other examples, it should be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and the teachings may be applied to numerous applications, only some of which are described herein. The following claims are intended to claim any and all applications, modifications, and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings.

[0106] Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, levels, positions, magnitudes, sizes and other specifications set forth in this specification (including in the claims that follow) are approximate and not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range consistent with the functions to which they are related and with the customary practices in the art to which they belong. "Approximately" in references to temperature or other engineering units includes measurements or settings within ±1%, ±2%, ±5%, ±10% or other tolerances of the specified engineering units as known in the art.

[0107] The scope of protection is limited only by the claims now appended. When interpreted in light of this specification and subsequent prosecution history, the scope is intended and should be interpreted to be broadly consistent with the ordinary meaning of the language used in the claims and to encompass all structural and functional equivalents.

[0108] Except as stated immediately above, nothing stated or illustrated is intended or should be construed as causing a dedication to the public of any component, step, feature, object, removal, advantage, or equivalent, whether or not recited in the claims.

[0109] It will be understood that, except for the specific meanings that have been elaborated in addition herein, the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meanings assigned to the respective inquiries and research fields corresponding to such terms and expressions. Relational terms such as first and second, etc. can be used only to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises", "comprising" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, so that the process, method, article or equipment including the list of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements that are not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, articles or equipment. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements preceded by "one" or "a kind of" do not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article or equipment including the element.

[0110] The abstract is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. This disclosure is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, it can be seen in the foregoing detailed description that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than those expressly recited in each claim. On the contrary, as reflected in the following claims, the inventive subject matter lies in less than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim independently serving as a separately claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. An inductive sensor device for brain diagnosis, the device comprising: a headrest base configured to accommodate a subject's head, the subject's head having an imaginary spherical center point; a first inclinometer rigidly attached to the base; a gimbal bracket pivotably attached to the base and configured to pivot a mounting point on the gimbal bracket to a latitude and longitude about the center point; a radial extender mounted to the mounting point of the gimbal bracket, the radial extender being configured to extend the end effector inwardly relative to the center point; a coil sensor attached to the end effector; as well as A second inclinometer is attached to the coil sensor.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: Memory; as well as A computer processor operatively coupled to a machine-readable non-transitory medium embodying information indicating instructions for causing the computer processor to perform operations comprising: comparing the tilt angles from the first inclinometer and the second inclinometer to determine the relative orientation of the coil sensors; as well as A three-dimensional 3D anatomical location of measurements from the coil sensors is calculated based on the orientation.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein: The operations further include: Measurements from the coil sensors are adjusted based on the orientation.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein: The adjusting includes compensating for movement of the subject's head between measurements at the same anatomical location.

5. The device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The operations further include: commanding the gimbal mount to rotate to a specified latitude and a specified longitude; guiding the radial extender to extend the coil sensor to the designated latitude and the designated longitude; generating a measurement value based on an output produced by the coil sensor; and The measurements are correlated to the 3D anatomical location to produce anatomically located measurements.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The anatomically located measurements are from a left hemisphere of the head, and the operations further include: performing anatomically located measurements on the right hemisphere of the head; comparing measurements from the left and right hemispheres of the head; and An indication is output based on the comparison.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The anatomically located measurements are from an earlier time, and the operations further include: Anatomically located measurements were performed at a later time; comparing measurements from the earlier time and the later time; and An indication is output based on the comparison.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The operations further include: accessing computed tomography (CT) data or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from a scan of the head; and determining anatomical coordinates in the head based on the CT data or the MRI data, Wherein the specified latitude and the specified longitude are based on the anatomical coordinates.

9. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The operations further include: generating a set of anatomically located measurements including the anatomically located measurements; and A physical topography of the head is generated according to the measurement results or an image is rendered based on the measurement results.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 9, further comprising: a resistive, inductive and capacitive RLC circuit electrically connected to the coil sensor; as well as a frequency counter electrically connected to the RLC circuit, The operation further includes: When the coil sensor is at a skull location on the head, a measurement is generated based on the output from the frequency counter.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein: The coil sensor is a first coil sensor, the RLC circuit is a first RLC circuit, and the frequency counter is a first frequency counter, the apparatus further comprising: a second coil sensor, the second coil sensor having a diameter greater than or smaller than the first coil sensor, the first coil sensor and the second coil sensor sharing a housing; a second RLC circuit electrically connected to the second coil sensor; and A second frequency counter is electrically connected to the second RLC circuit.

12. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The first inclinometer and the second inclinometer include three-dimensional 3D accelerometers.

13. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The radial stretcher comprises a scissor-like device or a telescopic mechanism.

14. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: motor; a pulley on said mounting point; as well as a pulley cable extending through the pulley between the motor and the radial extender, The motor is positioned away from the mounting point to avoid electromagnetic interference with the coil sensor.

15. A method of anatomically locating a measurement in a subject's brain, the method comprising: Providing each of the following: a headrest base configured to accommodate a head of a subject, the subject's head having an imaginary spherical center point; a first inclinometer rigidly attached to the base; a gimbal bracket pivotally attached to the base and configured to pivot a mounting point on the gimbal bracket to a latitude and longitude about the center point; a radial extender mounted to the mounting point of the gimbal bracket, the radial extender configured to extend an end effector inwardly relative to the center point; a coil sensor attached to the end effector; and a second inclinometer attached to the coil sensor; comparing the tilt angles from the first inclinometer and the second inclinometer to determine the relative orientation of the coil sensors; as well as A three-dimensional 3D anatomical location of measurements from the coil sensors is calculated based on the orientation.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: Measurements from the coil sensors are adjusted based on the orientation.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, further comprising: commanding the gimbal mount to reach a specified latitude and a specified longitude; guiding the radial extender to extend the coil sensor to the designated latitude and the designated longitude; generating a measurement value based on an output produced by the coil sensor; as well as The measurements are correlated to the 3D anatomical location to produce anatomically located measurements.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein: The anatomically located measurements are from a left hemisphere of the head, and the method further comprises: performing anatomically located measurements on the right hemisphere of the head; comparing measurements from the left and right hemispheres of the head; and An indication is output based on the comparison.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein: The anatomically located measurements are from an earlier time, and the method further comprises: Anatomically located measurements were performed at a later time; comparing measurements from the earlier time and the later time; and An indication is output based on the comparison.

20. A method of manufacturing an inductive sensor device for brain diagnosis, the method comprising: providing a headrest base configured to accommodate a head of a subject, the subject's head having an imaginary spherical center point; rigidly attaching a first inclinometer to the base; pivotably attaching a gimbal bracket to the base such that the gimbal bracket is configured to pivot a mounting point on the gimbal bracket to a latitude and longitude about the center point; mounting a radial extender to the mounting point of the gimbal bracket to configure the radial extender to extend the end effector inwardly relative to the center point; attaching a coil sensor to the end effector; as well as A second inclinometer is attached to the coil sensor.

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