Acoustic Sensor Vascular Stenosis Detection

The patent replaces the mechanical auscultation system (stethoscope requiring manual operation by a clinician) with an automated acoustic sensor system that electronically detects and analyzes bruit sounds. The sensor array with signal processing algorithms automatically identifies stenosis without requiring manual physical examination, thereby maintaining detection capability while eliminating time consumption and labor burden.

The system enables self-diagnosis capability where the acoustic monitoring system automatically detects, analyzes, and flags potential stenosis cases without requiring continuous clinician intervention. The automated analysis and alert system allows the monitoring process to serve itself, reducing the need for skilled labor while maintaining high detection precision.

The patent extracts only the acoustic detection function needed for stenosis screening from the complex ultrasound system. By using simple acoustic sensors to detect bruit sounds rather than full ultrasound imaging, the system achieves sufficient sensitivity for screening while dramatically reducing device complexity. The acoustic signals are then used to triage patients who need further ultrasound evaluation.

The system uses inexpensive acoustic sensors instead of expensive ultrasound equipment for routine monitoring. These simple sensors can be easily replaced or recalibrated, providing a cost-effective screening tool that maintains high sensitivity while avoiding the complexity and cost of portable ultrasound machines.

The acoustic monitoring system performs preliminary screening of all patients between monthly blood flow measurements. By continuously or frequently monitoring acoustic signals, the system can detect stenosis early and alert clinicians before the next scheduled blood flow measurement, thereby maintaining high productivity while improving measurement precision through more frequent assessments.

The system provides continuous feedback through acoustic signal analysis, allowing real-time detection of stenosis development. This feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain high sensitivity by constantly monitoring patients and immediately flagging changes, rather than relying on periodic measurements with fixed cutoff thresholds that may miss intermediate changes.