Catheter Light Source for Blood-Vessel Wall Artifact Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies lack devices to assist clinicians in properly placing catheters within blood vessels to minimize artifacts and optimize signal quality for hemodynamic measurements, which are affected by the strong optical scattering properties of blood-vessel walls.
Innovation Solution
A catheter equipped with a light source and optical fibers to project and receive light, measuring intensity at specific wavelengths to detect blood-vessel wall artifacts and provide audio or visual feedback for optimal placement, using a controller to calculate intensity ratios and compare against thresholds to indicate signal quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the catheter is placed close to the blood-vessel wall, then the clinician can obtain better signal for hemodynamic measurements, but blood-vessel wall artifacts significantly interfere with the measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback to the clinician by comparing measured light intensity against predetermined thresholds and outputting indicators about signal quality. This feedback loop enables the clinician to adjust catheter placement dynamically to optimize measurements while avoiding artifact-contaminated positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical trial-and-error placement methods with an optical detection system. By using light sources and photodetectors to measure light intensity and calculate ratios, the system objectively identifies optimal catheter positions without relying on clinician experience or physical manipulation alone.
2Ease of operation
If no detection device is used, then the device complexity is low, but the clinician cannot determine optimal catheter placement
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system integrates multiple functions into a single apparatus: light emission, light detection, signal processing, threshold comparison, and visual/audio output. This multi-functional design consolidates what could be separate complex systems into one unified device that guides catheter placement while providing real-time feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses light as an intermediary to indirectly detect catheter position relative to the blood-vessel wall. Rather than directly measuring position, the optical properties of blood and vessel wall interact with light to provide information about catheter placement quality through intensity measurements and ratios.
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 clinicians to dynamically adjust catheter placement for improved signal quality and reduced artifacts, ensuring accurate hemodynamic measurements by providing immediate feedback on catheter proximity to the blood-vessel wall.
Implementation Method 1
blood-vessel walls have optical properties that include a strong scattering profile that can create unwanted artifacts
Implementation Method 2
measuring the intensity of light at a wavelength that interacts with blood
Implementation Method 3
using photodetectors to measure the intensity of the light
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application concerns detecting catheter proximity to a blood-vessel wall and blood-vessel wall artifacts associated therewith. In one embodiment, a light source, in a catheter, can be used to project light into the blood vessel. An intensity associated with at least one light wavelength that interacted with blood can be measured. Based on the measured intensity, a determination can be made regarding blood-vessel wall artifacts due to the catheter tip proximity to a blood-vessel wall. Feedback can be provided to the clinician in order to assist the clinician in adjusting the catheter to optimize signal quality and minimize artifacts due to the blood-vessel wall.