Electronic Capillary Index Scoring for Thrombectomy Selection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current capillary index scoring methods for acute ischemic stroke patients provide only coarse indicators, lacking the granularity to identify patients who may benefit from thrombectomy and those for whom it is futile, thereby risking suboptimal treatment decisions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving co-registered diagnostic cerebral angiography to quantify actual and expected capillary blush areas, calculating an electronic capillary index score (eCIS) using artificial intelligence or manual analysis to determine the percentage of infarcted cerebral tissue, accounting for both direct and collateral blood flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the traditional capillary index scoring method is used, then the assessment process is simple and quick, but the measurement precision is insufficient to identify suitable thrombectomy candidates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the capillary blush assessment into multiple discrete regions of interest within the middle cerebral artery territory. Instead of a single overall score, the system divides the vascular territory into distinct segments that can be individually evaluated and scored, thereby increasing measurement precision while maintaining a structured, manageable scoring framework
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional coarse scoring system (0-3 scale) to a two-dimensional assessment framework that combines regional segmentation with quantitative capillary blush area measurement. This adds a spatial dimension to the scoring, allowing for more granular differentiation of collateral flow patterns across different vascular territories
2Loss of information
If the traditional capillary index scoring method is used, then the method is easy to operate, but it lacks the granularity to identify patients likely to benefit from thrombectomy
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the assessment into specific vascular territories and capillary blush regions, the patent preserves detailed spatial information about collateral flow distribution. This segmentation allows clinicians to identify patterns of blood flow that correlate with thrombectomy outcomes without requiring abandonment of the structured scoring approach
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the purely manual visual assessment with a hybrid system that incorporates image processing and quantitative analysis of capillary blush areas. This substitution preserves ease of operation through automated calculations while recovering lost information through precise digital measurement of blood flow patterns
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic capillary index scoring (eCIS) method is provided. The method includes providing a co-registered diagnostic cerebral angiogram (DCA) and quantifying an actual capillary blush area of a portion of the diagnostic cerebral angiogram representing an ischemic hemisphere. The method further quantifies an expected capillary blush area of the portion of the diagnostic cerebral angiogram representing the ischemic hemisphere. An eCIS is calculated by dividing the quantified actual capillary blush area by the quantified expected capillary blush area.