Cardiac Motion Analysis for Non-Invasive Lung Function Assessment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Spirometry, a common method for diagnosing pulmonary diseases like COPD, imposes a heavy strain on patients and has low reproducibility of test results.

Innovation Solution

An image analysis device that acquires moving images of the respiratory status, generates cardiac status indices, and derives lung function indices from changes in these indices, allowing for a non-invasive and reproducible assessment of lung function without straining the patient.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If spirometry is used to diagnose pulmonary diseases, then lung function can be measured, but the test imposes heavy strain on patients and has low reproducibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelung function measurementVSAvoidpatient burden

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses the heart as an intermediary object to indirectly measure lung function. Instead of directly measuring respiratory parameters that require patient effort, the system captures images of the heart and analyzes its movement and position changes, which are influenced by respiratory status. This intermediary approach eliminates the need for direct respiratory measurement while still providing lung function information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical spirometry system with an optical imaging system. Instead of using mechanical devices to measure airflow and volume, the system uses image capture devices to photograph the heart and computational algorithms to analyze cardiac movement patterns that reflect respiratory function, thereby substituting mechanical measurement with optical detection and computational analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If spirometry is used to obtain lung function data, then diagnostic information is obtained, but the reproducibility of test results is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetest result reproducibilityVSAvoidpatient strain

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the heart's natural movement and position changes as they occur during normal breathing, without requiring any special patient actions. The heart itself provides the measurement signal through its physiological movement patterns that are passively captured by the imaging system, eliminating the need for forced breathing maneuvers and thereby improving reproducibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the traditional measurement approach by not directly measuring respiratory parameters but instead measuring cardiac parameters and inferring respiratory function from them. This inversion allows for passive measurement during normal breathing, improving reproducibility by eliminating the need for standardized forced breathing techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS9569687B2Image analysis device, imaging system and non-transitory recording medium generating an index indicating a cardiac status with respect to frame images

Publication Date: 2017.02.14 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

An image analysis device includes: an acquiring unit configured to acquire a moving image showing a variation of a respiratory status, the moving image being formed with frame images including an image of a heart; an image analyzing unit configured to generate a first index indicating a cardiac status with respect to each of the frame images; and an index analyzing unit configured to derive a second index indicating lung function from a change caused in the first indexes by the respiratory status.