Real-time heart sound analysis based on doppler effect

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method for detection of heart abnormalities. The method includes recording sounds of heart and nearby blood flow, determining a suspected set of frequency peaks versus time from the recorded sounds, and detecting a heart abnormality responsive to detecting at least two peaks of the suspected set of frequency peaks versus time within two consecutive same phases of a cardiac cycle. The sounds of heart and nearby blood flow are recorded by sending a 2 MHz sinusoidal wave to a location adjacent to heart, receiving a doppler wave returned from the location adjacent to heart, and decoding the received doppler wave into the sinusoidal wave and a message signal. The suspected set of frequency peaks includes frequency peaks of the message signal with frequency of more than 75 Hz which when multiplied in their power become more than a threshold of 3.5 kHz.

Description

REAL-TIME HEART SOUND ANALYSIS BASED ON DOPPLER EFFECTTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to methods, systems, and apparatus in field of medical engineering and bioelectronics, and particularly, cardiology and vascular medicine for real-time and highly accurate detection of heart abnormal murmurs. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a method and a system for diagnosis of heart abnormalities (e.g., cardiac murmurs) by analyzing heart sounds using doppler effect.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Heart murmurs are physical findings related to blood flow across cardiac structures and most often are identified as a pathologic sound and a signal of an underlying cardiac abnormality. Heart murmurs might occur transiently in children, according to their size, age, and hemodynamic state at the time of the examination. More than 1.4 million Newborns with heart structure abnormalities are bom annually. Every year, about 6.2 million Children aged 1- 18 are referred to hospitals, for further examination due to extra heart sounds (murmur). Accordingly, parents experience extreme emotional breakdown when inform of probable heart defects. In fact, current methods and screening tools not designed to detect timely and not accurate, and about 85% children and newborn with heart disease remain undiagnosed or don’t have access to care they need. Many forms of congenital heart disease are often first recognized by the presence of a heart murmur. Nevertheless, it could be difficult to distinguish during a physical examination, and it is necessary to focus on some different features like timing, location, quality, and loudness.

[0003] Stethoscope is a device which was invented in 1816 by Rene Laennec for cardiac auscultation as reported by SH Kang et al. in “Cardiac Auscultation Using Smartphones: Pilot Study” published in Mhealth Uhealth (2018) vol.6(2):e49. This acoustic device transfers heart sounds through a hollow tube from chest surface to a physician’s ear. Basis of auscultation with a stethoscope is mainly on mechanical vibration from body surface at a frequency range of sound, which is between 20 and 20,000 Hz; however, mechanical vibrations below the frequency range of 20 to 20,000 Hz, which are called “infrasonic”, cannot be heard by the human’s ear as investigated by S. Swamp, and AN. Makaryus in “Digital stethoscope: technology update”; Med Devices (Auckl) (2018), vol. 11: pages 29-36. Despite the importantrole of auscultation with a stethoscope in diagnosis of cardiac disease, it has many fundamental limitations, such as amplification of vibrations from hand contact with stethoscope or patient's body. In addition, analysis of heart sounds depends on experience, knowledge and skills of a physician. Moreover, the presence of breathing, children's crying, or environmental sounds can interfere with auscultation of heart sounds, particularly those of heart valves. Additional challenges arise with thin patients, where the gap between ribs can distort the sounds, and sweating can cause a stethoscope's diaphragm to adhere to skin, further distorting the sound and complicating disease diagnosis.

[0004] Many researchers believe that echocardiography (ECG) currently represents a significant proportion of cardiac medical expenditure, and it would be wise to limit the use of this technique. Furthermore, echocardiography is not available in all residential areas and also requires complicated devices and a specialist to interpret a resulted echocardiogram.

[0005] Hence, there is a need in the art to overcome the problems and drawbacks of diagnosis of heart abnormalities based on heart and nearby blood flow sounds using conventional methods and devices. There is a need in the art for devices, systems, and methods capable of accurately detecting and differentiating all sounds of heart and nearby blood flow even inaudible sounds and low-pressure differences in blood flow. Specifically, there is a need for cost-effective devices, systems, and methods available in all clinical and / or educational centers. There is further a need for a simple device which can be used easily by physicians for heart murmur detection, which can also distinguish pathologic murmurs from innocent murmurs.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0006] This summary is intended to provide an overview of the subject matter of this patent, and is not intended to identify essential elements or key elements of the subject matter, nor is intended to be used to determine the scope of the claimed implementations. The proper scope of this patent may be ascertained from the claims set forth below in view of the detailed description below and the drawings.

[0007] In one general aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for detection of heart abnormalities. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may include recording sounds of heart and blood flow of a person from at least one location adjacent to heart of the person, determining a suspected set of frequency peaks versus time from the recorded sounds, and detecting a heart abnormality for the person responsive to detecting at least two high-intensitypeaks among the suspected set of frequency peaks versus time recorded in two consecutive same phases of a cardiac cycle. In an exemplary embodiment, the two consecutive same phases of the cardiac cycle may include two consecutive systolic phases or two consecutive diastolic phases.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, recording sounds of heart and blood flow of the person from at least one location adjacent to heart of the person may include sending a sinusoidal wave with a frequency of 2 MHz to the at least one location adj acent to heart of the person, receiving a doppler wave returned from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person, and decoding the received doppler wave into the sinusoidal wave and a message signal carried by the sinusoidal wave. In an exemplary embodiment, the returned doppler wave may include the sinusoidal wave and the message signal. In an exemplary embodiment, the message signal may include a first set of frequency peaks versus time.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, determining the suspected set of frequency peaks versus time from the recorded sounds may include measuring each frequency peak of the first set of frequency peaks, comparing each measured frequency peak with a first threshold, extracting a plurality of high-level frequency peaks versus time from the first set of frequency peaks versus time, calculating a power of each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks, forming a plurality of magnified peaks by multiplying each calculated power of each respective high-level frequency peak by the respective high-level frequency peak, comparing each magnified peak of the plurality of magnified peaks with a second threshold, and extracting a plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time from the high-level frequency peaks versus time by extracting each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks with a respective magnified peak more than the second threshold. In an exemplary embodiment, each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks may include a measured frequency peak of the first set of frequency peaks greater than the first threshold.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, sending the sinusoidal wave to the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person may include sending the sinusoidal wave to at least one zone of right second intercostal space (R 2ndICS), left second intercostal space (L 2ndICS), left lower sternal border (LLSB), fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line (5thICS MCL), and combinations thereof of the person’s body.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, sending the sinusoidal wave to each location of the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person may include putting a probe connected to an FM signal generator on chest of the person at the respective location of the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person and sending a FM signal with the frequency of 2 MHz to the probe utilizing the FM signal generator. In an exemplary embodiment, the probe may include a frequency modulation (FM) signal transmitter and a FM signal receiver.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, receiving the doppler wave returned from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person may include recording the doppler wave returned from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person through the probe utilizing a FM signal recorder connected to the probe. In an exemplary embodiment, recording the sounds of heart and blood flow of the person may be done for a time period in a range of 0.1 seconds to 1 seconds.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, decoding the received doppler wave into the sinusoidal wave and the message signal may include forming a relation of the received doppler wave, forming an expression by multiplying the relation of the received doppler wave with angularAB frequency of the sent sinusoidal wave, eliminating a second part of — , cos(2mt + f m(t)dt)of the expression by applying a low-pass filter, and applying an Arc Cos function followed by a derivative function to the remained first part — . cos(f m(t)dt) of the expression.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the relation of the received doppler wave may be defined by:

[0015] (%) = A. cos (cot + f m(t)dt),

[0016] where (%) may include the received doppler wave, A may include amplitude of an exemplary sent sinusoidal wave, m comprises angular frequency of the sent sinusoidal wave, and m(t) comprises the message signal.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the expression may be defined by a two-part relation of:

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, calculating the power of each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks may include generating a frequency power spectrum over time by applying a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm to the message signaland finding each respective frequency power value of each high-level frequency peak happening at the same time.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include color-coding the plurality of high-intensity peaks of the message signal by displaying each high-intensity peak of the plurality of high-intensity peaks with a color assigned as a marker of an abnormal state of the heart. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include calculating an intensity of a cardiac murmur of the heart by calculating an integral of high-intensity peaks among the suspected set of frequency peaks recorded in two consecutive same phases of the cardiac cycle.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment, the first threshold comprises a frequency magnitude of 75 Hz. In an exemplary embodiment, the second threshold may include a frequency power multiplied by frequency magnitude of 3.5 kHz.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, recording an echocardiogram (ECG) from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person simultaneously with recording the sounds of heart and blood flow of the person from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person. In an exemplary embodiment, detecting the heart abnormality for the person may include determining each high-intensity peak of the plurality of high-intensity peaks happens at a systolic phase or diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle by comparing the plurality of high- intensity peaks versus time with the simultaneously recorded ECG and detecting the heart abnormality for the person if two high-intensity peaks of the plurality of high-intensity peaks happen at two respective consecutive systolic phases or diastolic phases of the recorded ECG.

[0023] In another general aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for detection of heart abnormalities. In an exemplary embodiment, the system may include a probe including an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver, a FM signal generator connected to the probe, a FM signal recorder connected to the probe, and a processing unit electrically connected to the FM signal generator and the FM signal receiver. In an exemplary embodiment, the probe may be put on at least one location of chest of a person’s body adjacent to heart of the person.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit may include a memory having processor-readable instructions stored therein and a processor. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor may access the memory and execute the processor-readable instructions. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor may be utilized to perform a method when the processor-readable instructions are executed by the processor. In an exemplary embodiment,the method may include sending a sinusoidal wave with a frequency of 2 MHz to the at least one location of chest of the person’s body through the probe utilizing the FM signal generator, receiving a doppler wave including the sinusoidal wave and a message signal returned from the at least one location of chest of the person’s body through the probe utilizing the FM signal recorder, decoding the received doppler wave into the sinusoidal wave and the message signal including a first set of frequency peaks versus time, measuring each frequency peak of the first set of frequency peaks, comparing each measured frequency peak with a first threshold, extracting a plurality of high-level frequency peaks greater than the first threshold versus time from the first set of frequency peaks versus time, calculating a power of each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks, forming a plurality of magnified peaks by multiplying each calculated power of each respective high-level frequency peak by the respective high-level frequency peak, comparing each magnified peak of the plurality of magnified peaks with a second threshold, extracting a plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time from the high-level frequency peaks versus time by extracting each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks with a respective magnified peak more than the second threshold, and detecting a heart abnormality for the person responsive to detecting at least two high-intensity peaks in two consecutive same phases of a cardiac cycle, the two consecutive same phases of the cardiac cycle comprising two consecutive systolic phases or two consecutive diastolic phases.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one location of chest of the person’s body may include at least one zone of right second intercostal space (R 2ndICS), left second intercostal space (L 2ndICS), left lower sternal border (LLSB), fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line (5thICS MCL), and combinations thereof of the person’s body.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, the FM signal generator may include an oscillator utilized to generate the sinusoidal wave, a variable capacitor utilized to adjust frequency of the generated sinusoidal wave to the probe, and an operational amplifier (op-amp) with a bandwidth of 100MHz. In an exemplary embodiment, the op-amp may be utilized to amplify the generated sinusoidal wave and serve as a buffer between an output of the oscillator and an input of the ultrasonic transmitter. In an exemplary embodiment, the output of the oscillator may include the generated sinusoidal wave.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the FM signal recorder may include a low-pass filter (LPF), a phase detector, and an anti-alias filter. In an exemplary embodiment, the LPF mayboast a high bandwidth of 2.5 MHz. In an exemplary embodiment, the LFP may be utilized to amplify and restrict a bandwidth of the returned doppler wave. In an exemplary embodiment, the phase detector may be utilized to detect velocity changes or movements in the at least one location of chest of the person’s body by comparing a phase difference between the sent sinusoidal wave and the received doppler wave. In an exemplary embodiment, the anti -alias fdter may include a band-pass fdter with a frequency range of 15 Hz to 5 kHz. In an exemplary embodiment, the anti-alias fdter may be utilized to prevent aliasing by eliminating any frequencies outside the range of 15 Hz to 5 kHz.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the first set of frequency peaks versus time may include the first set of frequency peaks recorded over a time period in a range of 0. 1 seconds to 1 seconds. In an exemplary embodiment, the first threshold may include a frequency magnitude of 75 Hz. In an exemplary embodiment, the second threshold may include a frequency power multiplied by frequency magnitude of 3.5 kHz.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the system may further include an echocardiograph (ECG) machine connected to the processing unit. In an exemplary embodiment, the ECG machine may include at least one ultrasound transmitter / receiver lead put on the at least one location of chest of the person’s body. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include recording an echocardiogram (ECG) from the at least one location of chest of the person’s body simultaneously with recording the sounds of heart and blood flow of the person from the at least one location of chest of the person’s body.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, detecting the heart abnormality for the person may include determining each high-intensity peak of the plurality of high-intensity peaks happens at a systolic phase or diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle by comparing the plurality of high- intensity peaks versus time with the simultaneously recorded ECG and detecting the heart abnormality for the person if two high-intensity peaks of the plurality of high-intensity peaks happen at two respective consecutive systolic phases or diastolic phases of the recorded ECG.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present teachings, by way of example only, not by way of limitation. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.

[0032] FIG. 1 A shows an exemplary method for detection of heart abnormalities, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. IB shows an exemplary method for recording sounds of heart and blood flow of a person from at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 1C shows an exemplary method for determining a suspected set of frequency peaks versus time, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary recorded ECG graph, an exemplary recorded graph of heart sounds, and an exemplary recorded message signal synchronized together, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 3A shows an exemplary system for detection of heart abnormalities, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 3B shows an exemplary circuit of an exemplary sound wave generator, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 3C shows an exemplary circuit of an exemplary sound wave recorder, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 4 shows an example computer system in which an embodiment of the present disclosure, or portions thereof, may be implemented as computer-readable code, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0040] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and / or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.

[0041] Heart murmurs are caused by turbulence and blood flow across intra-cardiac defect, orifices, vessels as well as opening and closure of heart valves. Accordingly, heart murmurs can be heard in both physiologic states as well as structural heart diseases and have different types and intensities. A frequency range for these normal heart sounds is usually between 20to 150 Hz, but frequency of murmurs heard in hearts with structural anomalies is higher in ranges between 100 and 1000 Hz. In this regard, a very important issue is innocent murmurs. Innocent murmurs are relatively common with prevalence of approximately 50-90% in pediatric population. Considering low incidence of congenital heart defects as well as acquired heart disease in this population, determining which patients with heart murmurs need to be referred to a pediatric cardiologist seems difficult, especially when they are asymptomatic. Herein, doppler-based methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for accurate and real-time detection of heart sounds to determine cardiac abnormalities or significant heart murmurs that should be referred to a pediatric cardiologist.

[0042] In one general embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for detection of heart abnormalities is disclosed. FIG. 1A shows a method 100 for detection of heart abnormalities, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, method 100 may include recording sounds of heart and blood flow of a person from at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person (step 102), determining a suspected set of frequency peaks versus time from exemplary recorded sounds (step 104), and detecting a heart abnormality for an exemplary person if at least two high-intensity peaks among an exemplary suspected set of frequency peaks versus time is recorded in two consecutive same phases of a cardiac cycle (step 106).

[0043] In further detail with respect to step 102, step 102 may include recording sounds of heart and blood flow of a person from at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person. FIG. IB shows a method 110 for recording sounds of heart and blood flow of a person from at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person (step 102), consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, method 110 may include sending a sinusoidal wave to an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person (step 112), receiving a doppler wave returned from an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person (step 114), and decoding an exemplary received doppler wave into an exemplary sinusoidal wave and a message signal (step 116). In an exemplary embodiment, step 102 may include noiseless and accurately recording sounds of heart and blood flow of a person from at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, step 112 of sending an exemplary sinusoidal wave to an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person may include sendingan exemplary sinusoidal wave with a frequency of about 2 MHz to an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person. In an exemplary embodiment, sending an exemplary sinusoidal wave to an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person may include sending an exemplary sinusoidal wave to at least one zone of right second intercostal space (R2nd ICS), left second intercostal space (L 2nd ICS), left lower sternal border (LLSB), fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line (5th ICS MCL), and combinations thereof of an exemplary person’s body.

[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, sending an exemplary sinusoidal wave to an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person may include putting a probe on chest of an exemplary person at each location of an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person and sending a frequency modulation (FM) signal to an exemplary probe. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary probe may include a FM signal transmitter and a FM signal receiver. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary probe may be connected to an FM signal generator and an exemplary FM signal may be sent to an exemplary probe utilizing an exemplary FM signal generator. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary probe may include ultrasonic transmitter-receiver. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary FM signal may include an exemplary FM signal with a frequency of about 2 MHz.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment, step 114 of receiving a doppler wave returned from an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person may include receiving a returned signal from an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person responsive to an exemplary sent sinusoidal wave. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary doppler wave returned from an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person may be received by an exemplary probe. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary returned doppler wave may include an exemplary sent sinusoidal wave and a message signal. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary message signal may include sounds resulting from mechanical movements of heart and blood flow behavior of an exemplary person. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary returned doppler wave may include a returned FM signal from an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person responsive to an exemplary sent FM signal thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, receiving an exemplary returned doppler wave may include recording an exemplary returned doppler wave utilizing a FM signal recorder connected to an exemplary probe.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment, step 116 of decoding an exemplary received doppler wave into an exemplary sinusoidal wave and an exemplary message signal may include separating an exemplary message signal from an exemplary sinusoidal wave. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary message signal may include a first set of frequency peaks versus time. In an exemplary embodiment, decoding an exemplary received doppler wave into an exemplary sinusoidal wave and an exemplary message signal may include forming a relation of an exemplary received doppler wave, forming an expression by multiplying an exemplary relation of an exemplary received doppler wave with an angular frequency of an exemplary sent sinusoidal wave, eliminating a second part of an exemplary expression by applying a low- pass filter to an exemplary expression, and applying an Arc Cos function followed by a derivative function to a remained first part of an exemplary expression.

[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary relation may be defined by Equation (1) as follows:

[0049] (%) = A. cos ( t + f m(t)dt), Equation (1)

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, (%) may include an exemplary received doppler wave, A may include amplitude of an exemplary sent sinusoidal wave, m may include angular frequency of an exemplary sent sinusoidal wave, and m(t) may include an exemplary message signal. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary amplitude (A) may be a constant value that may determine the maximum value or height of an exemplary sent sinusoidal wave from its equilibrium point. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary amplitude (A) may specify strength or intensity of an exemplary sent sinusoidal wave before any modulation or influence from an exemplary message signal (m(t)) or Doppler effect that may alter an exemplary sent sinusoidal wave as it travels.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary expression may be defined by a two-part relation as shown in Equation (2):

[0052] y . cos(J m(t)dt) + — . cos(2mt + f m(t)dt) Equation (2)

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment, a second part of — . cos(2mt + f m(t)dt) of an exemplary expression may be eliminated by applying a low-pass filter to Equation (2). In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary message signal may be obtained by applying an Arc Cos function followed by a derivative function to an exemplary remained first part — . cos(J m(t)dt) of an exemplary expression of Equation (2).

[0054] In further detail with respect to step 104, step 104 may include determining a suspected set of frequency peaks versus time from exemplary recorded sounds of at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person. In an exemplary embodiment, step 104 may include analysis of exemplary recorded sounds of at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person and differentiating cardiac murmurs from normal sounds of an exemplary obtained message signal. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary suspected set of frequency peaks versus time may be identified and extracted from an exemplary first set of frequency peaks versus time of an exemplary message signal. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary suspected set of frequency peaks may include a plurality of frequency peaks among an exemplary first set of frequency peaks with deviations from normal values of a healthy heart. In an exemplary embodiment, normality or abnormality of an exemplary message signal may be determined based on exemplary obtained deviations.

[0055] FIG. 1C shows a method 120 for determining a suspected set of frequency peaks versus time (step 104), consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, method 120 may include measuring each frequency peak of an exemplary first set of frequency peaks (step 122), comparing each measured frequency peak with a first threshold (step 124), extracting a plurality of high-level frequency peaks versus time from an exemplary first set of frequency peaks versus time with a measured frequency peak value greater than an exemplary first threshold (step 126), calculating a power of each high-level frequency peak of an exemplary plurality of high-level frequency peaks (step 128), forming a plurality of magnified peaks by multiplying each calculated power of each respective high-level frequency peak by an exemplary respective high-level frequency peak (step 130), comparing each magnified peak of an exemplary plurality of magnified peaks with a second threshold (step 132), and extracting a plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time with a respective magnified peak more than an exemplary second threshold (step 134).

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment, step 122 may include measuring each frequency peak of an exemplary first set of frequency peaks. In an exemplary embodiment, measuring each frequency peak of an exemplary first set of frequency peaks may include calculating frequency values of an exemplary message signal versus time.

[0057] Moving to step 124, each measured frequency peak of an exemplary first set of frequency peaks may be compared with a first threshold. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary first threshold may include a maximum frequency value for a normal soundrecorded from heart movements and / or blood flow near heart. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary first threshold may include a frequency magnitude of about 75 Hz.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment, recorded sounds of heart and blood flow of an exemplary person with high frequency values more than an exemplary first threshold may be a first indicator of heart abnormalities for an exemplary person; thereby, a plurality of high-level frequency peaks versus time may be identified and extracted from an exemplary first set of frequency peaks versus time. In an exemplary embodiment, each high-level frequency peak of an exemplary plurality of high-level frequency peaks may have a measured frequency peak value greater than an exemplary first threshold.

[0059] In addition to frequency values of recorded sounds, a second parameter including frequency power values may be calculated and checked for accurate detection of heart abnormalities. In an exemplary embodiment, step 128 may include calculating a power of each high-level frequency peak of an exemplary plurality of high-level frequency peaks. In an exemplary embodiment, calculating power of each high-level frequency peak of an exemplary first plurality of high-level frequency peaks may include applying a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm to an exemplary message signal; thereby, resulting in generating a power spectrum overtime corresponding to an exemplary message signal. Moreover, a corresponding frequency power value of each high-level frequency peak may be obtained by finding a time of each high-level frequency peak in an exemplary power spectrum over time.

[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, recorded sounds of heart and blood flow of an exemplary person with high frequency power values more than an exemplary second threshold may be a second indicator of distinguishing heart abnormalities (cardiac murmurs) from normal sounds. In an exemplary embodiment, step 130 may include forming a plurality of magnified peaks by multiplying each calculated power of each respective high-level frequency peak by an exemplary respective high-level frequency peak and step 132 may include comparing each magnified peak of an exemplary plurality of magnified peaks with a second threshold. Thereafter, a plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time may be identified and extracted from an exemplary plurality of high-level frequency peaks versus time in step 134. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time may be assigned as an exemplary suspected set of frequency peaks versus time. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time may include frequency peaks of an exemplary first set of frequency peaks versus time (i.e., an exemplary message signal) withrespective magnified peaks more than an exemplary second threshold and frequency values more than an exemplary first threshold.

[0061] In further detail with respect to step 106, step 106 may include detecting a heart abnormality for an exemplary person if at least two high-intensity peaks are detected among an exemplary suspected set of frequency peaks versus time recorded in two consecutive same phases of a cardiac cycle. In an exemplary embodiment, exemplary two consecutive same phases of an exemplary cardiac cycle may include two consecutive systolic phases or two consecutive diastolic phases. In an exemplary embodiment, a phase of happening each high- intensity peak may be determined by synchronizing an exemplary message signal with an echocardiogram (ECG) graph recorded from an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person. In an exemplary embodiment, method 100 may further include recording an ECG from an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person simultaneously with recording sounds of heart and blood flow of an exemplary person from an exemplary at least one location adjacent to heart of an exemplary person. In an exemplary embodiment, detecting an exemplary heart abnormality for an exemplary person (step 106) may include determining each high-intensity peak of an exemplary plurality of high- intensity peaks happens at a systolic phase or diastolic phase of an exemplary cardiac cycle by comparing an exemplary plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time with an exemplary simultaneously recorded ECG. In an exemplary embodiment, detecting an exemplary heart abnormality for an exemplary person (step 106) may further include detecting an exemplary heart abnormality for an exemplary person if two high-intensity peaks of an exemplary plurality of high-intensity peaks repeats at two respective consecutive systolic phases or two respective consecutive diastolic phases of an exemplary simultaneously recorded ECG. In another exemplary embodiment, a systolic phase or a diastolic phase of each high-intensity peaks of an exemplary plurality of high-intensity peaks may be determined using a stethoscope. In an exemplary embodiment, if high-intensity peaks are not repeated at two consecutive same phases of a cardiac cycle, the aforementioned high-intensity peaks may include innocent murmurs which may not referred as cardiac abnormalities.

[0062] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary recorded ECG graph 202, an exemplary recorded graph of heart sounds 204, and an exemplary recorded message signal 206 synchronized together, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, a first set of high-intensity peaks 208 and a second set of high-intensity peaks210 may be detected in message signal 206. In an exemplary embodiment, it may be detected that first set of high-intensity peaks 208 happens at a systolic phase and second set of high- intensity peaks 210 happens at a diastolic phase using at least one of recorded ECG graph 202, recorded graph of heart sounds 204, and combinations thereof. As may be seen from FIG. 2, message signal 206 may also include two other sets of high-intensity peaks 212 and 214. It may be seen that two sets of high-intensity peaks 212 and 208 happened at two consecutive systolic phases and two sets of high-intensity peaks 214 and 210 happened at two consecutive diastolic phases; therefore, a cardiac murmur may be detected for a person whom message signal 206 may be recorded from.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment, step 102 of recording sounds of heart and blood flow of an exemplary person may be done for a time period in a range of about 0. 1 seconds to about 1 seconds. Furthermore, steps 104 and 106 of determining an exemplary suspected set of frequency peaks versus time from an exemplary recorded sounds of heart and blood flow of an exemplary person and detecting an exemplary heart abnormality based on an exemplary suspected set of frequency peaks and phase of cardiac cycle thereof may be conducted in less than about 2 seconds. Therefore, method 100 may be a real-time method applicable in less than 3 seconds for detection of cardiac murmurs.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, method 100 may further include color-coding an exemplary plurality of high-intensity peaks of an exemplary message signal by displaying each high-intensity peak of an exemplary plurality of high-intensity peaks with a color assigned as a marker of an abnormal state of an exemplary heart. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary suspected set of frequency peaks such as first set of high-intensity peaks 208 and a second set of high-intensity peaks 210 of message signal 206 may be displayed in red color (herein, dark gray) as a visual indicator of suspected peaks while remaining normal peaks of message signal 206 may be displayed in green color (herein, light gray) as a visual indicator of normal peaks.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, method 100 may further include calculating an intensity of a cardiac murmur of an exemplary heart. In an exemplary embodiment, calculating an intensity of a cardiac murmur of an exemplary heart may include integrating a selected number of high-intensity peaks present within an exemplary message signal. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary integration process may be specifically tailored to only include those suspicious peaks which manifest within the same two consecutive cardiac phases. In anexemplary embodiment, such careful selection criteria ensures that the calculation focuses on the most relevant signal features indicative of cardiac murmurs, thereby enhancing diagnostic accuracy of method 100. Hence, in an exemplary embodiment, calculating an intensity of a cardiac murmur of an exemplary heart may include calculating an integral of high-intensity peaks among an exemplary suspected set of frequency peaks recorded in two consecutive same phases of an exemplary cardiac cycle.

[0066] In another general embodiment of the present disclosure, a system for detection of heart abnormalities is disclosed. FIG. 3A shows a system 300 for detection of heart abnormalities, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, method 100 may be carried out utilizing system 300 shown in FIG. 3A. In an exemplary embodiment, system 300 may include a probe 302, a sound wave generator 304, a sound wave recorder 306, and a processing unit 308 connected to sound wave generator 304 and sound wave recorder 306.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, probe 302 may include an ultrasonic transmitter 302a and an ultrasonic receiver 302b. In an exemplary embodiment, probe 302 may include an ultrasonic probe. In an exemplary embodiment, probe 302 may be placed on an exemplary at least one location of chest of an exemplary person’s body adjacent to heart of an exemplary person. In an exemplary embodiment, probe 302 may be placed on at least one zone of right second intercostal space (R 2ndICS), left second intercostal space (L 2ndICS), left lower sternal border (LLSB), fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line (5thICS MCL), and combinations thereof of an exemplary person’s body.

[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, ultrasonic transmitter 302a may be connected to sound wave generator 304 and ultrasonic receiver 302b may be connected to sound wave recorder 306. In an exemplary embodiment, sound wave generator 304 may include a FM signal generator and sound wave recorder 306 may include a FM signal recorder. In an exemplary embodiment, sound wave generator 304 and sound wave recorder 306 may be integrated in a single sound wave generator / recorder device 305 connected to processing unit 308. In an exemplary embodiment, system 300 may further include an echocardiograph (ECG) machine 310 connected to processing unit 308. In an exemplary embodiment, ECG machine 310 may include at least one ultrasound transmitter / receiver lead put on an exemplary at least one location of chest of an exemplary person’s body. In an exemplary embodiment, system 300 may further include a voice recorder (not illustrated) connected to processing unit 308. In anexemplary embodiment, a connection between processing unit 308 and each of sound wave generator 304, sound wave recorder 306, sound wave generator / recorder device 305, ECG machine 310, and an exemplary voice recorder may include a wireless connection or a connection via respective electrically conductive wires.

[0069] FIG. 3B shows a circuit of sound wave generator 304, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, FM signal generator 304 may include an oscillator 312, a variable capacitor 314, and an operational amplifier (op-amp) 316. In an exemplary embodiment, oscillator 312 may be utilized for generating an exemplary sinusoidal wave to be sent to probe 302. In an exemplary embodiment, oscillator 312 may include a 2 MHz oscillator. In an exemplary embodiment, variable capacitor 314 may be utilized to tune an exemplary generated sinusoidal wave to probe 302. In an exemplary embodiment, variable capacitor 314 may be utilized to adjust a frequency of an exemplar sinusoidal wave to match requirements of probe 302. In an exemplary embodiment, op-amp 316 may include an op-amp with high bandwidth and may be utilized for amplifying an exemplary generated sinusoidal wave and buffer output of oscillator 312 from input of ultrasonic transmitter 302a of probe 302. In an exemplary embodiment, op-amp 316 may include an op-amp with a bandwidth of 100MHz. In an exemplary embodiment, op-amp 316 may have two main functions, including: firstly, to amplify an exemplary sinusoidal wave generated by oscillator 312 to ensure it has sufficient power for transmission; and secondly, to serve as a buffer between oscillator 312's output and ultrasonic transmitter 302a's input within probe 302. In an exemplary embodiment, such buffering role may be essential for isolating oscillator 312's circuit; thereby, resulting in maintaining stability and accuracy of wave generation and ensuring signal's integrity is preserved up to the point of transmission by ultrasonic transmitter 302a.

[0070] FIG. 3C shows a circuit of sound wave recorder 306, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, sound wave recorder 306 may include a low-pass filter (LPF) 318, a phase detector 320, and an anti-alias filter 322. In an exemplary embodiment, LPF 318 may include a LPF with high bandwidth utilized for amplifying and limiting a bandwidth of an exemplary returned doppler wave received by ultrasonic receiver 302b. In an exemplary embodiment, LPF 318 may include a LPF boasting a high bandwidth of 2.5 MHz. In an exemplary embodiment, LPF 318 may be utilized not only to amplify but also to restrict a bandwidth of an exemplary returned dopplerwave to a desired range. In an exemplary embodiment, phase detector 320 may play a crucial role in comparing a phase difference between exemplary transmitted waves to probe 302 and received waves from probe 302. In an exemplary embodiment, comparing an exemplary phase difference may be a key process in doppler signal analysis that may enable a detection of velocity changes or movements in an exemplary at least one location of chest of an exemplary person’s body adjacent to heart of an exemplary person. In an exemplary embodiment, antialias fdter 322 may include a band-pass fdter with a frequency range of about 15 Hz to about 5 kHz. In an exemplary embodiment, anti-alias filter 322 may be employed just before digital sampling via an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) to eliminate any frequencies outside its range, thereby preventing aliasing. It should be noted that aliasing is a phenomenon that can occur during a sampling process, where higher frequencies may be misrepresented as lower frequencies, leading to inaccuracies in an exemplary digitally sampled signal. In an exemplary embodiment, an inclusion of anti-alias filter 322 may ensure that only relevant frequency components are sampled, maintaining an integrity of digital representation of an exemplary returned doppler wave.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, processing unit 308 may include a memory having processor-readable instructions stored therein and a processor. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary processor may be utilized to access an exemplary memory and execute exemplary processor-readable instructions. In an exemplary embodiment, executing exemplary processor-readable instructions by an exemplary processor may configure an exemplary processor to perform a method, for example, method 100 described hereinabove.

[0072] FIG. 4 shows an example computer system 400 in which an embodiment of the present disclosure, or portions thereof, may be implemented as computer-readable code, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, computer system 400 may include an example of processing unit 308, and methods 100, 110, and 120 in FIGs. 1A-1C may be implemented in computer system 400 using hardware, software, firmware, tangible computer readable media having instructions stored thereon, or a combination thereof and may be implemented in one or more computer systems or other processing systems. Hardware, software, or any combination of such may embody any of the modules and components in FIGs. 1A-1C, 2 and 3A-3C.

[0073] If programmable logic is used, such logic may execute on a commercially available processing platform or a special purpose device. One ordinary skill in the art may appreciatethat an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter can be practiced with various computer system configurations, including multi-core multiprocessor systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, computers linked or clustered with distributed functions, as well as pervasive or miniature computers that may be embedded into virtually any device.

[0074] For instance, a computing device having at least one processor device and a memory may be used to implement the above-described embodiments. A processor device may be a single processor, a plurality of processors, or combinations thereof. Processor devices may have one or more processor “cores”.

[0075] An embodiment of the present disclosure is described in terms of this example computer system 400. After reading this description, it will become apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art how to implement the invention using other computer systems and / or computer architectures. Although operations may be described as a sequential process, some of the operations may in fact be performed in parallel, concurrently, and / or in a distributed environment, and with program code stored locally or remotely for access by single or multiprocessor machines. In addition, in some embodiments the order of operations may be rearranged without departing from the spirit of the disclosed subject matter.

[0076] Processor device 404 may be a special purpose or a general-purpose processor device. As will be appreciated by persons skilled in the relevant art, processor device 404 may also be a single processor in a multi-core / multiprocessor system, such system operating alone, or in a cluster of computing devices operating in a cluster or server farm. Processor device 404 may be connected to a communication infrastructure 406, for example, a bus, message queue, network, or multi -core message-passing scheme.

[0077] In an exemplary embodiment, computer system 400 may include a display interface 402, for example a video connector, to transfer data to a display unit 430, for example, a monitor. Computer system 400 may also include a main memory 408, for example, random access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory 410. Secondary memory 410 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 412, and a removable storage drive 414. Removable storage drive 414 may include a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a flash memory, or the like. Removable storage drive 414 may read from and / or write to a removable storage unit 418 in a well-known manner. Removable storage unit 418 may include a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical disk, etc., which may be read by and written to by removable storage drive 414. As will be appreciated by persons skilled in therelevant art, removable storage unit 418 may include a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer software and / or data.

[0078] In alternative embodiments, secondary memory 410 may include other similar means for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into computer system 400. Such means may include, for example, a removable storage unit 422 and an interface 420. Examples of such means may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM, or PROM) and associated socket, and other removable storage units 422 and interfaces 420 which allow software and data to be transferred from removable storage unit 422 to computer system 400.

[0079] Computer system 400 may also include a communications interface 424. Communications interface 424 allows software and data to be transferred between computer system 400 and external devices. Communications interface 424 may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a PCMCIA slot and card, or the like. Software and data transferred via communications interface 424 may be in the form of signals, which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals capable of being received by communications interface 424. These signals may be provided to communications interface 424 via a communications path 426. Communications path 426 carries signals and may be implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, a phone line, a cellular phone link, an RF link or other communications channels.

[0080] In this document, the terms “computer program medium” and “computer usable medium” are used to generally refer to media such as removable storage unit 418, removable storage unit 422, and a hard disk installed in hard disk drive 412. Computer program medium and computer usable medium may also refer to memories, such as main memory 408 and secondary memory 410, which may be memory semiconductors (e.g. DRAMs, etc.).

[0081] Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are stored in main memory 408 and / or secondary memory 410. Computer programs may also be received via communications interface 424. Such computer programs, when executed, enable computer system 400 to implement different embodiments of the present disclosure as discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed, enable processor device 404 to implement the processes of the present disclosure, such as the operations in methods 100, 110, and 120 illustrated by FIGs. 1A-1C, discussed above. Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of computer system 400. Where an exemplary embodiment of methods100, 110, and 120 is implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into computer system 400 using removable storage drive 414, interface 420, and hard disk drive 412, or communications interface 424.

[0082] Embodiments of the present disclosure also may be directed to computer program products including software stored on any computer useable medium. Such software, when executed in one or more data processing device, causes a data processing device to operate as described herein. An embodiment of the present disclosure may employ any computer useable or readable medium. Examples of computer useable mediums include, but are not limited to, primary storage devices (e.g., any type of random access memory), secondary storage devices (e.g., hard drives, floppy disks, CD ROMS, ZIP disks, tapes, magnetic storage devices, and optical storage devices, MEMS, nanotechnological storage device, etc.).

[0083] EXAMPLE 1: Evaluation of heart sounds in children using exemplary doppler- based method and system

[0084] In this example, 1272 patients under 16 years who were referred between April 2021 and February 2022 to a pediatric cardiology clinic were enrolled. Table 1 shows baseline characteristics of the patients. An exemplary system structurally similar to system 300 was prepared and utilized to conduct method 100 for the aforementioned patients in order to detect heart abnormalities using doppler-based method 100. All patients were examined by a single experienced pediatric cardiologist using a conventional stethoscope at the first step and an exemplary system at the second step. Afterward, each patient underwent trans-thoracic echocardiography, and the echocardiogram results were compared with the conventional stethoscope as well as the doppler-based findings.

[0085] In this regard, while the patient was in the supine position, an Ultrasound 2 MHz probe of an exemplary system was firmly secured on chest for about 30 seconds in each of four usual auscultatory areas. Doppler-based obtained results were interpreted based on an exemplary doppler graph similar to graph 206 of FIG. 2. A checklist in which the patients were classified based on the auscultation findings as well as doppler-based findings in three groups (normal, innocent murmur and pathologic murmur) was completed. A second pediatric cardiologist blindly re-examined 120 patients of the total patients with exemplary doppler-based system and the findings were recorded in a second checklist. Afterward, the patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography using a device structurally similar to ECG machine 310. The echocardiogram was interpreted without the knowledge of doppler-based results. Theechocardiogram was considered normal if there was no pathologic finding other than mild tricuspid or pulmonary regurgitation.

[0086] Table 2 shows a comparison between results of the conventional stethoscope with exemplary doppler-based system / method. Sensitivity of the conventional stethoscope and the doppler-based system / method for detecting congenital heart defects were 94.7% and 90.5%, respectively. The specificity of the conventional stethoscope in detecting heart disease was 94.8% compared with the specificity of the doppler-based system / method, which was 68.9%. The positive predictive value of the conventional stethoscope and the doppler-based system / method were 91.6% and 63.3%, respectively, while the negative predictive value was 96.8% for the conventional stethoscope and 92.4% for the doppler-based system / method. Positive predictive value is the possibility that persons with a positive test really have the disease and negative predictive value is the possibility that persons with a negative test really do not have the disease. The positive likelihood ratio was 18.23 for the conventional stethoscope and 2.9 for the doppler-based system / method, while the negative likelihood ratio for the conventional stethoscope and the doppler-based system / method were 0.055 and 0.13, respectively. The positive likelihood ratio (LR+) is the possibility that a positive test is observed in a patient divided by the possibility that a positive test is observed in a person without a disease and the negative likelihood ratio (LR-), the possibility of a patient with a negative test having a disease divided by the possibility of a patient with a negative test to not having a disease. In analysis of the results based on the gender, sensitivity as well as specificity of the doppler-based system / method was similar to the conventional stethoscope as shown in Table 3.

[0087] Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the patients,7. . . , Heart disease variable lotaiA, bsentt(ZNTrt .A =798) Present (Z1NT=474)

[0088] Table 2. Comparison between the conventional stethoscope and the doppler-based system / method in detection of congenital heart defects>Total Hearing doppler-based system / methodHearing doppler-based 0-1 1-12 12-72 > 72 0-1 1-12 12-72 > 72 system / method month months months months month months months monthsSensitivity 947%~~ 905% 8T6%~~9L9% 96.4% 98.7%'” 909% 97.5% 'Specificity 94.8% 68.9% 94.7% 96.2% 95.7% 94% 75.4% 69.4% 72.4% 63%PPV 91.6% 63.3% 91.6% 92.8% 91% 98.7% 65% 60.3% 65.2% 97.5%NPV 96.8% 92.4% 90% 95.6% 96.9% 99.1% 76% 96.9% 94% 97.5%LR+ 18.23 2.90 16.05 23.99 18.37 16.65 2.71 2.80 3.33 2.64LR- 0.055 0.13 0.16 0.08 0.03 0.01 0.044 0.20 0.11 0.04

[0089] Table 3. Comparison between sensitivity and specificity of the conventional stethoscope and the doppler-based system / method in both male and female patientsHearing doppler-based svstem / methodFemale Male Female MaleSensitivity 95.5% 93.8% 89.8% 91.2%Specificity 94.4% 95% 66.4% 72.1%PPV 90.4% 93% 59.4% 68.2%NPV 97.5% 95% 92.3% 92%LR+ 15.83 18.6 2.61 3.37LR- 0.05 0.07 0.16 0.12

[0090] Table 4 indicates the sensitivity and specificity as well as the PPV, NPV, LR+ and LR- of the conventional stethoscope and the doppler-based system / method in detection of the most common congenital heart defects in the studied population. Among the most common congenital heart defects, the sensitivity of the conventional stethoscope as well as the doppler- based system / method was 100% for detection of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). In contrast, sensitivity of both the conventional stethoscope and the doppler-based system / method was relatively low for detecting atrial septal defect (ASD), especially for small defects in which the sensitivity of the conventional stethoscope and doppler-based system / method were 43.4% and 22.6%, respectively.

[0091] Table 4. Sensitivity and specificity of the conventional stethoscope and the doppler- based system / method for detection of the most common congenital heart defects in the studied population>Hearing doppler-based system / method PDA VSD ASD Small TOF MR PDA VSD ASD Small TOF MR ASD ASDSensitivity 100% To'o%~~'^Specificity 95% 95% 95% 95% 95% 95% 69.1% 69.1% 69.1% 69.1% 69.1% 69.1%PPV 45.9% 61.2% 53.5% 27.3% 20% 73.8% 11.6% 20.1% 10.5% 2.8% 3.9% 31.7%NPV 100% 100% 97.9% 97.9% 100% 99.7% 99.6% 99.8% 94.3% 95.8% 100% 99.6%LR+ 19.92 19.92 14.77 9.63 18.79 19.4 3.04 3.018 1.51 0.73 3.23 3.17LR— 0 0 0.27 0.54 0 0.02 0.08 0.023 0.77 1.12 0 0.02Industrial Applicability

[0092] Disclosed herein is a device, system, and method employing doppler effect for smart heart sound analysis and diagnosing various cardiovascular conditions; thereby, substantially enhancing patient screening processes within healthcare system. An exemplary method and system may be suitable for use in clinics and health centers, both in urban and rural settings. An exemplary method and system have capacity for screening structural and congenital heart diseases, efficiently functioning without a necessity for a cardiologist’s expertise. An exemplary user-friendly device, system, and method may enable practitioners, after minimal training, to ascertain probability of specific heart conditions and facilitates timely referrals to specialists for comprehensive diagnosis and treatment. An exemplary device, system, and method may be resistant to ambient noise interference and its portability, making it an ideal tool for diverse medical environments. An exemplary device, system, and method may play a critical role in reducing unwarranted referrals by accurately identifying benign heart murmurs and preventing delays in referrals, crucial in opening a window for effective treatment of heart diseases.

[0093] While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the best mode and / or other examples, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may be applied in numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and all applications, modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings.

[0094] Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain.

[0095] The scope of protection is limited solely by the claims that now follow. That scope is intended and should be interpreted to be as broad as is consistent with the ordinary meaning of the language that is used in the claims when interpreted in light of this specification and theprosecution history that follows and to encompass all structural and functional equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirement of Sections 101, 102, or 103 of the Patent Act, nor should they be interpreted in such a way. Any unintended embracement of such subject matter is hereby disclaimed.

[0096] Except as stated immediately above, nothing that has been stated or illustrated is intended or should be interpreted to cause a dedication of any component, step, feature, object, benefit, advantage, or equivalent to the public, regardless of whether it is or is not recited in the claims.

[0097] It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “a” or “an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

[0098] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various implementations. This is for purposes of streamlining the disclosure, and is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed implementations require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed implementation. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

[0099] While various implementations have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art thatmany more implementations and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the implementations. Although many possible combinations of features are shown in the accompanying figures and discussed in this detailed description, many other combinations of the disclosed features are possible. Any feature of any implementation may be used in combination with or substituted for any other feature or element in any other implementation unless specifically restricted. Therefore, it will be understood that any of the features shown and / or discussed in the present disclosure may be implemented together in any suitable combination. Accordingly, the implementations are not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the attached claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for detection of heart abnormalities, the method comprising: recording sounds of heart and blood flow of a person from at least one location adjacent to heart of the person, comprising: sending a sinusoidal wave with a frequency of 2 MHz to the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person; receiving a doppler wave returned from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person, the doppler wave comprising the sinusoidal wave and a message signal; and decoding the received doppler wave into the sinusoidal wave and the message signal, the message signal comprising a first set of frequency peaks versus time; determining a suspected set of frequency peaks versus time from the recorded sounds, comprising: measuring each frequency peak of the first set of frequency peaks; comparing each measured frequency peak with a first threshold; extracting a plurality of high-level frequency peaks versus time from the first set of frequency peaks versus time, each respective high-level frequency peak comprising a measured frequency peak of the first set of frequency peaks greater than the first threshold; calculating a power of each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks; forming a plurality of magnified peaks by multiplying each calculated power of each respective high-level frequency peak by the respective high-level frequency peak; comparing each magnified peak of the plurality of magnified peaks with a second threshold; and extracting a plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time from the high- level frequency peaks versus time by extracting each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks with a respective magnified peak more than the second threshold; and detecting a heart abnormality for the person responsive to detecting at least two high-intensity peaks among the suspected set of frequency peaks versus time recordedin two consecutive same phases of a cardiac cycle, the two consecutive same phases of the cardiac cycle comprising two consecutive systolic phases or two consecutive diastolic phases.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending the sinusoidal wave to the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person comprises sending the sinusoidal wave to at least one zone of right second intercostal space (R 2ndICS), left second intercostal space (L 2ndICS), left lower sternal border (LLSB), fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line (5thICS MCL), and combinations thereof of the person’s body.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the sinusoidal wave to each location of the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person comprises: putting a probe on chest of the person at the respective location of the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person, the probe comprising a frequency modulation (FM) signal transmitter and a FM signal receiver, the probe connected to an FM signal generator; and sending a FM signal with the frequency of 2 MHz to the probe utilizing the FM signal generator.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the doppler wave returned from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person comprises recording the doppler wave returned from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person through the probe utilizing a FM signal recorder connected to the probe.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the sounds of heart and blood flow of the person is done for a time period in a range of 0.1 seconds to 1 seconds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein decoding the received doppler wave into the sinusoidal wave and the message signal comprises: forming a relation of the received doppler wave, the relation defined by: (%) = A. cos (mt + f m(t)dt),wherein (%) comprises the received doppler wave, A comprises amplitude of the sinusoidal wave, m comprises angular frequency of the sent sinusoidal wave, and m(t) comprises the message signal; forming an expression by multiplying the relation of the received doppler wave with the angular frequency of the sent sinusoidal wave, the expression defined by a two-part relation of:— . cos( m(t)dt) + — . cos(2mt + f m(t)dt)AB eliminating a second part of — . cos(2mt + f m(t)dt) of the expression by applying a low-pass filter; and applying an Arc Cos function followed by a derivative function to the remained AB first part — . cos(J m(t)dt) of the expression.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating the power of each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks comprises: generating a frequency power spectrum over time by applying a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm to the message signal; and finding each respective frequency power value of each high-level frequency peak happening at the same time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising color-coding the plurality of high-intensity peaks of the message signal by displaying each high-intensity peak of the plurality of high- intensity peaks with a color assigned as a marker of an abnormal state of the heart.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating an intensity of a cardiac murmur of the heart by calculating an integral of high-intensity peaks among the suspected set of frequency peaks recorded in two consecutive same phases of the cardiac cycle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein: the first threshold comprises a frequency magnitude of 75 Hz; and the second threshold comprises a frequency power multiplied by frequency magnitude of 3.5 kHz.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording an echocardiogram (ECG) from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person simultaneously with recording the sounds of heart and blood flow of the person from the at least one location adjacent to heart of the person.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the heart abnormality for the person comprises: determining each high-intensity peak of the plurality of high-intensity peaks happens at a systolic phase or diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle by comparing the plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time with the simultaneously recorded ECG; and detecting the heart abnormality for the person if two high-intensity peaks of the plurality of high-intensity peaks happen at two respective consecutive systolic phases or diastolic phases of the recorded ECG.

13. A system for detection of heart abnormalities, the system comprising: a probe, comprising an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver, the probe being put on at least one location of chest of a person’s body adjacent to heart of the person; a FM signal generator, the probe connected to the FM signal generator; a FM signal recorder, the probe connected to the FM signal recorder; and a processing unit connected to the FM signal generator and the FM signal receiver, the processing unit comprising: a memory having processor-readable instructions stored therein; and a processor configured to access the memory and execute the processor- readable instructions, which, when executed by the processor configures the processor to perform a method, the method comprising: sending, utilizing the FM signal generator, a sinusoidal wave with a frequency of 2 MHz to the at least one location of chest of the person’s body through the probe; receiving, utilizing the FM signal recorder, a doppler wave returned from the at least one location of chest of the person’s bodythrough the probe, the doppler wave comprising the sinusoidal wave and a message signal; decoding the received doppler wave into the sinusoidal wave and the message signal, the message signal comprising a first set of frequency peaks versus time; measuring each frequency peak of the first set of frequency peaks; comparing each measured frequency peak with a first threshold; extracting a plurality of high-level frequency peaks versus time from the first set of frequency peaks versus time, each respective high- level frequency peak comprising a measured frequency peak of the first set of frequency peaks greater than the first threshold; calculating a power of each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks; forming a plurality of magnified peaks by multiplying each calculated power of each respective high-level frequency peak by the respective high-level frequency peak; comparing each magnified peak of the plurality of magnified peaks with a second threshold; extracting a plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time from the high-level frequency peaks versus time by extracting each high-level frequency peak of the plurality of high-level frequency peaks with a respective magnified peak more than the second threshold; and detecting a heart abnormality for the person responsive to detecting at least two high-intensity peaks in two consecutive same phases of a cardiac cycle, the two consecutive same phases of the cardiac cycle comprising two consecutive systolic phases or two consecutive diastolic phases.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one location of chest of the person’s body comprises at least one zone of right second intercostal space (R 2ndICS), left second intercostal space (L 2ndICS), left lower sternal border (LLSB), fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line (5thICS MCL), and combinations thereof of the person’s body.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the FM signal generator comprises: an oscillator, configured to generate the sinusoidal wave; a variable capacitor, configured to adjust frequency of the generated sinusoidal wave to the probe; and an operational amplifier (op-amp) with a bandwidth of 100MHz, the op-amp configured to amplify the generated sinusoidal wave and to serve as a buffer between an output of the oscillator and an input of the ultrasonic transmitter, the output of the oscillator comprising the generated sinusoidal wave.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the FM signal recorder comprises: a low-pass filter (LPF) boasting a high bandwidth of 2.5 MHz, the LFP configured to amplify and restrict a bandwidth of the returned doppler wave; a phase detector, configured to detect velocity changes or movements in the at least one location of chest of the person’s body by comparing a phase difference between the sent sinusoidal wave and the received doppler wave; and an anti -alias filter comprising a band-pass filter with a frequency range of 15 Hz to 5 kHz, the anti-alias filter configured to prevent aliasing by eliminating any frequencies outside the range of 15 Hz to 5 kHz.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the first set of frequency peaks versus time comprises the first set of frequency peaks recorded over a time period in a range of 0. 1 seconds to 1 seconds.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein: the first threshold comprises a frequency magnitude of 75 Hz; and the second threshold comprises a frequency power multiplied by frequency magnitude of 3.5 kHz.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising an echocardiograph (ECG) machine connected to the processing unit, the ECG machine comprising at least one ultrasound transmitter / receiver lead put on the at least one location of chest of the person’s body,wherein the method further comprises recording an echocardiogram (ECG) from the at least one location of chest of the person’s body simultaneously with recording the sounds of heart and blood flow of the person from the at least one location of chest of the person’s body.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein detecting the heart abnormality for the person comprises: determining each high-intensity peak of the plurality of high-intensity peaks happens at a systolic phase or diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle by comparing the plurality of high-intensity peaks versus time with the simultaneously recorded ECG; and detecting the heart abnormality for the person if two high-intensity peaks of the plurality of high-intensity peaks happen at two respective consecutive systolic phases or diastolic phases of the recorded ECG.

Images