CT-Based Nutritional Diagnostic System for Automated Parenteral Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing a patient's nutritional status before medical procedures are subjective and unreliable, often relying on visual observations and body mass index (BMI), which fail to accurately quantify muscle mass and quality, leading to inadequate nutritional evaluations and increased postoperative complications.
Innovation Solution
An automated system using computed tomography (CT) imaging to analyze cross-sectional slices of a patient's abdomen, measuring muscle mass and distinguishing it from fat and soft tissue, providing an objective index for nutritional status evaluation and recommending parenteral nutritional therapy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual observation and BMI calculation are used to assess nutritional status, then the evaluation process is simple and quick, but the measurement precision is insufficient and cannot accurately quantify muscle mass
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual observation and simple BMI calculation with automated CT image analysis. The system uses computer processing to automatically measure muscle mass, fat mass, and lean body mass from CT scan data, eliminating the need for manual skin pinching and subjective visual assessment while providing precise quantitative measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces CT imaging as an intermediary tool between the patient's body composition and the nutritional assessment. The CT scanner captures cross-sectional images that serve as intermediaries to measure muscle and fat distribution, which then feeds into the nutritional status calculation, providing objective data that bridges the gap between simple screening and accurate assessment.
2Reliability
If automated CT imaging and analysis are used to objectively measure muscle mass, then the measurement precision and objectivity improve, but the time required for evaluation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining the anatomical regions of interest (abdominal cavity, pelvic cavity) and pre-establishing the measurement protocols. The system automatically identifies and measures muscle groups (psoas, rectus abdominis, oblique muscles) and fat distributions based on predetermined criteria, reducing the time needed during actual patient evaluation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the CT scan data into distinct anatomical regions (abdominal cavity, pelvic cavity) and tissue types (muscle, fat, lean body mass). By dividing the complex body composition analysis into manageable segments and using automated algorithms to process each segment, the system reduces overall evaluation time while maintaining comprehensive and reliable assessment.
3Measurement precision
If manual skin pinching and visual observation are performed, then the ease of operation is high, but the measurement precision for muscle quality and fat content is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical action of skin pinching with automated CT image analysis. The system uses computer algorithms to automatically identify and measure fat content, muscle quality, and lean body mass based on radiodensity values from CT scans, eliminating the need for manual manipulation while providing precise quantitative data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes radiodensity variations in CT images to distinguish between different tissue types. By analyzing the 'color' or radiodensity values in the CT scan data, the system automatically identifies muscle tissue, fat tissue, and lean body mass, providing precise measurement without requiring manual manipulation or subjective visual assessment.
4Reliability
If semi-subjective assessment methods are used, then the ease of operation is high, but the reliability and consistency across different clinicians varies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the human-based semi-subjective assessment with an automated computer system. The CT image analysis software consistently applies the same measurement criteria and algorithms to all patients, eliminating the variability introduced by different clinicians' subjective judgments and ensuring reliable, repeatable results.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent standardizes the assessment by changing from subjective clinical judgment to objective quantitative parameters. The system uses specific radiodensity thresholds and automated measurement protocols to consistently define muscle mass, fat mass, and lean body mass, ensuring that all assessments are based on the same objective criteria regardless of which clinician performs the evaluation.
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
The system objectively evaluates nutritional status, reducing the risk of postoperative complications by ensuring adequate amino acid reserves and optimizing nutritional therapy, thereby improving patient outcomes and reducing hospital stays.
Implementation Method 1
a computed tomography ('CT') imaging device configured to perform a scan on a mid-section of a patient and produce a set of two-dimensional images each of a slice at a different cross-sectional height of the mid-section, each two-dimensional image including radiodensity data related to imaged tissue of the patient
Data Source
AI summary
A pharmacy preparation system, apparatus, and method are disclosed. In an example, a pharmacy preparation system receives information indicative of a soft tissue peak for a mid-section of a patient. The soft tissue peak corresponds to a local peak in a range of −50 Hounsfield Units (“HU”) to 80 HU. The pharmacy preparation system next determines a dosing regimen as a total volume of a nutrition solution to be infused per a time period based on the soft tissue peak and at least one of a gender, a height, or an ideal body weight of the patient. The pharmacy preparation system then determines administration parameters for a parenteral nutrition pump based on the dosing regimen. The pharmacy preparation system transmits an administration message to the parenteral nutrition pump to cause a nutritional therapy to be administered to the patient according to the administration parameters.