Cardiac Cycle Selection Using Image Timing for LV Function Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing left ventricle function in patients with atrial fibrillation are inaccurate due to variations between cardiac cycles, leading to incorrect averaging of parameters like ejection fraction and strain, as they include cycles that are not fully representative of heart function.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a timing model to identify suitable cardiac cycles by analyzing ultrasound images, automatically selecting and saving only those cycles that include all subphases, reducing memory and processing demands, and improving accuracy by using image data rather than electrocardiogram (ECG) data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If all cardiac cycles are included in the analysis, then the quantity of data is maximized, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to inclusion of unsuitable cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unsuitable cardiac cycles from the analysis dataset. A timing model evaluates each cardiac cycle's suitability based on subphase completeness and timing characteristics, and only suitable cycles are included in the automated measurement calculation, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining adequate data quantity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the selection criterion from including all cardiac cycles to selecting only suitable cycles based on timing parameters. The timing model uses parameters such as subphase duration, presence of all cardiac subphases, and timing relationships to filter and select only those cycles that meet predefined suitability criteria
2Measurement precision
If cardiac cycles are manually selected and reviewed, then the measurement precision improves, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to increased clinician workload
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically evaluating and selecting suitable cardiac cycles using the timing model. The automated measurement system independently assesses cycle suitability based on timing parameters and selects cycles without requiring clinician intervention, thereby maintaining measurement precision while significantly improving ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual selection process with an automated computational system. The timing model uses image processing and timing analysis algorithms to automatically identify and select suitable cardiac cycles, substituting the manual clinician review process with an automated electronic system
3Quantity of substance
If all cardiac cycles are stored for analysis, then the quantity of data is maximized, but the device complexity increases due to memory and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and stores only suitable cardiac cycles rather than all cycles. The timing model evaluates each cycle in real-time and filters out unsuitable cycles before storage, significantly reducing the volume of data that needs to be stored and processed while maintaining the quality and representativeness of the stored data
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary evaluation of each cardiac cycle using the timing model before inclusion in the analysis. This preliminary action of suitability assessment and filtering occurs during data acquisition, preventing unnecessary data from being stored or processed, thereby reducing overall device complexity and resource requirements
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for identifying cardiac cycles for evaluating left ventricle function using only image data. In one example, a method includes obtaining a sequence of medical image frames of a heart of a patient over a plurality of cardiac cycles, wherein each medical image frame depicts the same apical view of the heart, using a timing model to generate an output that is useable to label each frame of the sequence by cardiac cycle subphase and using the output to determine the suitability of each cardiac cycle for performing an automated measurement. The method may further include using the suitability of each cycle to determine if an automated measurement should be performed on each cycle, where automated measurements are performed on medical image frames corresponding to suitable cycles and automated measurements are not performed on medical image frames corresponding to unsuitable cycles.