AI Echocardiogram Guidance for Mechanical Assist Device Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The scarcity of trained sonographers in clinical settings limits the continuous and accurate assessment of mechanical assist device positioning, potentially delaying critical responses to device malposition and increasing complications.
Innovation Solution
An AI-driven echocardiogram system that empowers non-sonographers to assess mechanical assist device position using ultrasound images, incorporating a structural reference identifier, machine learning for spatial relationship analysis, and real-time graphical overlays, enabling continuous monitoring and immediate feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If trained sonographers perform echocardiogram assessments, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but productivity and availability are reduced due to scarcity of trained personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service echocardiogram assessment by equipping non-sonographers with AI-powered ultrasound analysis capabilities. The automated structural reference identifier and spatial relationship measurer allow any medical professional to independently perform accurate device positioning assessments without requiring specialized sonography training, thereby resolving the contradiction between assessment accuracy and personnel availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical dependency on trained sonographers with an automated computational system. The AI-driven echocardiogram unit substitutes human expertise with machine learning algorithms that automatically identify anatomical structures and calculate spatial relationships, enabling accurate assessments to be performed by any medical professional and eliminating the bottleneck of limited trained personnel.
2Reliability
If continuous monitoring is implemented, then reliability of device positioning is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary AI processing layer between the ultrasound imaging and clinical decision-making. The automated structural reference identification and spatial relationship measurement act as intermediaries that translate complex ultrasound images into simple, actionable positioning information, enabling continuous monitoring without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates simplified copies of expert sonographer assessments through automated AI analysis. Instead of requiring actual expert intervention for continuous monitoring, the system generates replicated assessment outputs that mimic expert-level accuracy, allowing reliable continuous monitoring while avoiding the complexity of coordinating multiple specialized personnel.
3Device complexity
If manual assessment methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of time in detecting malposition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous automated assessment of device positioning through the echocardiogram unit, eliminating the intermittent nature of manual assessments. The automated structural reference identifier and spatial relationship measurer operate continuously to detect malposition events in real-time, significantly reducing detection time while the streamlined AI algorithm keeps computational requirements manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary automated analysis of ultrasound images to identify structural references and calculate spatial relationships before clinical decisions are made. This preliminary action automatically detects potential malposition events, allowing clinicians to respond more quickly without having to manually analyze images from scratch, thus reducing time loss while maintaining system simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate, continuous, and objective assessment of mechanical assist device positioning, reducing complications and facilitating faster clinical decision-making by any medical professional, regardless of sonography training.
Implementation Method 1
An ultrasound probe 106 may be used to capture images of a patient's heart
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasound scanning unit for assessing an implanted device within a body part includes a structural reference identifier and a structural reference measurer. The structural reference identifier receives one or more ultrasound images of a heart. From the images, it identifies and locates an anatomical structural reference, such as an aortic annulus, and a device structural reference, such as an inlet of a mechanical assist device. The structural reference measurer calculates a spatial relationship, like a distance, between the identified references to provide a positional assessment of the implanted device. The unit can also include a navigator to generate orientation instructions for guiding a user in positioning an ultrasound probe. A mal-rotation detector determines if the device has an incorrect rotational orientation, and a safe zone generator creates a map of safe and unsafe positions. A pressure-volume loop determiner also generates a pressure-volume loop to assess myocardial contractility.