Integrated Medical Imaging and In-Vitro Diagnostic System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiology departments without easy access to central labs face challenges in assessing kidney function for patients undergoing CT scans, leading to potential acute kidney injury and increased patient mortality due to delayed or cancelled appointments, as they rely on external eGFR measurements.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a portable medical imaging system with an in-vitro-diagnostic device and control unit that allows for rapid measurement of creatinine levels and eGFR calculation at the point of care, enabling simultaneous medical imaging and diagnostic testing, including contrast-enhanced imaging, using a portable tablet-based system with docking structures for sample handling and sensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If radiology departments rely on central labs for eGFR measurements, then diagnostic accuracy is maintained, but patient waiting time increases and appointment cancellation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the medical imaging device with an in-vitro-diagnostic device into an integrated system. The control device operates both the imaging modality and the diagnostic device, allowing simultaneous or coordinated execution of imaging and eGFR measurement functions. This merging eliminates the need for separate central lab processing, enabling immediate eGFR results at the point of care while maintaining diagnostic accuracy through the same control infrastructure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If CT scan appointments are cancelled to process creatinine tests externally, then patient safety is improved, but diagnostic delay increases and patient mortality risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs eGFR measurement as a preliminary action before the CT scan procedure. By integrating the diagnostic device with the imaging system, creatinine testing is completed in advance during the same visit, eliminating the need to cancel or delay the scheduled CT scan. This preliminary assessment of kidney function allows safe contrast administration while maintaining the original appointment schedule, thereby preventing both acute kidney injury and diagnostic delays.
3Loss of time
If standalone point-of-care devices are used for rapid creatinine measurement, then patient waiting time is reduced, but device complexity and integration requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control device serves multiple functions by operating both the medical imaging device and the in-vitro-diagnostic device. This multi-functional capability allows a single control system to manage diverse operations including image acquisition, contrast agent administration, and eGFR measurement. The universal control interface reduces integration complexity compared to completely separate systems, as the same control hardware and software infrastructure handles both imaging and diagnostic functions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates in one aspect to a medical imaging system, comprising - a medical imaging device for medical imaging of a patient, - an in-vitro-diagnostic device for in-vitro-diagnostic testing of a sample, - a control device, wherein the control device is configured to operate the medical imaging device, wherein the control device is further configured to operate the in-vitro-diagnostic device.