Patient Motion Monitoring for Artifact-Resistant Medical Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical imaging technologies face challenges due to patient motion, leading to imaging artifacts that degrade image quality and require costly rescans, while current systems struggle to detect and address patient anxiety and discomfort effectively.
Innovation Solution
Implementing patient monitoring devices with image sensors and accelerometers to track patient motion and state, allowing for adjustments such as pausing scans, tagging data, and providing notifications to reduce motion and anxiety during imaging sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If patient motion monitoring is implemented during imaging, then image quality is improved by reducing artifacts, but device complexity increases due to additional monitoring equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple monitoring functions (motion detection, physiological monitoring, anxiety detection) into a single integrated patient monitoring system that works in conjunction with the medical imaging system. This merging approach improves image quality through comprehensive monitoring while managing device complexity by consolidating functions rather than adding separate independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patient monitoring system is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting patient motion, monitoring physiological parameters, and identifying signs of anxiety or discomfort. This multi-functionality allows a single system to address multiple sources of image degradation (motion artifacts from various causes) while improving image quality without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Productivity
If real-time patient monitoring is implemented, then productivity is improved by reducing rescans, but loss of time increases due to data processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring and assessment of patient state before the actual imaging begins. By detecting motion trends, physiological patterns, and signs of anxiety before image acquisition starts, the system can alert operators to potential issues in advance, allowing corrective actions to be taken before they compromise the scan and require rescans.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system provides continuous real-time feedback about patient state during imaging procedures. This feedback loop allows operators to immediately respond to detected motion or anxiety signs, adjusting patient positioning or providing reassurance before motion artifacts degrade image quality, thereby reducing rescans and improving overall productivity.
3Reliability
If comprehensive patient monitoring is implemented, then reliability is improved by detecting motion and anxiety, but ease of operation worsens due to increased monitoring responsibilities
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system operates autonomously to detect and assess patient motion, physiological state, and signs of anxiety without requiring continuous manual intervention. The system self-monitors patient conditions, automatically processes sensor data, and generates alerts only when intervention is needed, thereby improving detection reliability while minimizing the increase in operator workload.
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary between the patient and the operator, continuously monitoring patient state and translating complex sensor data into simplified alerts and recommendations. This intermediary function improves reliability by providing accurate detection while easing operator burden by filtering and prioritizing information rather than requiring operators to analyze raw data continuously.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for detecting patient motion during a diagnostic scan. In one example, a method for a medical imaging system includes obtaining output from one or more patient monitoring devices configured to monitor a patient before and during a diagnostic scan executed with the medical imaging system, receiving a request to initiate the diagnostic scan, tracking patient motion based on the output from the one or more patient monitoring devices, and initiating the diagnostic scan responsive to patient motion being below a threshold level.