Cardiac Blood Flow Stasis Assessment via Residence Time Metrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack the capability for high-throughput measurement of blood flow stasis in clinical settings, which is crucial for assessing the risk of intracardiac thrombosis and optimizing treatments for patients with cardiac diseases.
Innovation Solution
The method involves obtaining flow-velocity images of blood inside cardiac chambers or vessels, calculating residence time, standard deviation of residence time, kinetic energy, and rate of distortion to generate numerical metrics that identify and characterize regions of blood flow stasis, thereby assessing the risk of thrombosis and optimizing cardiac resynchronization therapy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If clinical risk factors and demographic variables are used for anticoagulation therapy assessment, then the therapy can be broadly applied, but precision individualized risk assessment is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from using clinical risk factors and demographic variables to using imaging-based parameters (flow velocity, residence time, kinetic energy, distortion rate) to assess thrombosis risk. This parameter change enables precision individualized risk assessment by measuring actual blood flow characteristics in each patient's cardiac chamber, directly resolving the contradiction between assessment precision and method complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/clinical assessment system (based on risk factors and demographics) with an imaging-based measurement system that uses flow-velocity images and computational metrics. This substitution enables objective, quantifiable measurement of blood flow stasis, achieving precision risk assessment without relying on subjective or population-based clinical variables.
2Reliability
If anticoagulation therapy is administered to decrease thrombosis risk, then the risk of cardioembolic events decreases, but the hemorrhagic risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables local assessment of thrombosis risk by identifying specific regions of blood flow stasis within cardiac chambers. This local quality assessment allows clinicians to target anticoagulation therapy more precisely to patients with actual stasis regions, rather than applying blanket therapy to all patients, thereby improving thrombosis prevention efficacy while potentially reducing unnecessary hemorrhagic risk in low-risk patients.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides feedback-based risk assessment by measuring actual blood flow characteristics and generating quantitative metrics of stasis. This feedback mechanism allows dynamic adjustment of anticoagulation therapy based on individual patient physiology, enabling treatment optimization that balances thrombosis prevention with hemorrhagic risk reduction.
3Reliability
If mechanical LVAD devices are used for end-stage heart failure, then cardiac function is supported, but intraventricular thrombosis risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary assessment of thrombosis risk by measuring blood flow stasis characteristics before and after LVAD implantation. This preliminary action allows optimization of device placement and operation settings to minimize stasis regions, preventing device-induced thrombosis before it occurs rather than treating it after development.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamic flow analysis to assess blood stasis in the context of LVAD operation. By measuring flow velocity, residence time, and other dynamic parameters, the system can evaluate how LVAD operation affects blood flow patterns and identify conditions that promote thrombosis, enabling real-time optimization of device settings to reduce thrombogenicity while maintaining cardiac support efficacy.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides methods for in-vivo assessment of the location and extent of blood flow stasis regions inside a cardiac chamber or blood vessel and systems for performing the methods. The disclosure provides methods for assessing risk of intracardiac or intravascular thrombus or of embolism originating in a cardiac chamber or vessel, and methods for assessing the need for and/or optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy.