Ventilation Monitoring via Spirometry Image Deviation Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Clinicians struggle to interpret complex ventilation system parameters and detect subtle deviations in spirometry images, leading to potential issues like a leaking laryngeal mask or kinked endotracheal tube, especially when overseeing multiple patients, due to the impracticality of constant monitoring and varying baseline interpretations.

Innovation Solution

Implement automated comparison models that analyze patient ventilation parameter images against annotated, demographic- and setting-matched ground truth images to identify deviations and alert clinicians, updating baselines dynamically and initiating weaning protocols based on patient breathing efforts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If clinicians manually monitor ventilation parameters, then they can detect patient status changes, but the complexity of interpreting spirometry images and the inability to constantly monitor multiple patients leads to missed deviations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidmonitoring ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing ventilation parameter images and detecting deviations without requiring clinician interpretation. The automated comparison model independently processes spirometry images, identifies anomalies, and generates alerts, freeing clinicians from manual monitoring tasks while maintaining high detection reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical human interpretation process with an automated computational system. The comparison model uses image processing algorithms to analyze spirometry images, substituting the clinician's visual inspection and interpretation with automated digital analysis that can continuously monitor multiple patients simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If clinicians constantly monitor all patients, then all deviations can be detected, but this is impractical when overseeing multiple patients

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeviation detectionVSAvoidmonitoring efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring system serves itself by automatically detecting deviations and generating alerts without requiring clinician attention for each patient. The system independently processes ventilation images, compares them against reference values, and identifies anomalies, enabling reliable deviation detection across multiple patients simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The automated comparison model acts as an intermediary between the ventilation system and clinicians. It processes and interprets complex spirometry images, filtering and prioritizing information before presenting it to clinicians through alerts. This intermediary layer enables efficient monitoring by handling the computationally intensive image analysis tasks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If automated comparison models are implemented, then monitoring efficiency is enhanced and subtle deviations are detected, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring system is segmented into distinct functional modules: image acquisition, reference value storage, comparison model processing, deviation detection, and alert generation. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, making the overall complex system more manageable and maintainable while achieving high monitoring efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The comparison model serves multiple functions: it processes different types of ventilation images (spirometry, waveforms), compares against various reference values, detects multiple types of deviations, and generates standardized alerts. This multi-functionality consolidates what could be multiple separate systems into a single versatile platform

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4687149A1Methods and systems for ventilation system monitoring
Publication Date: 2026.02.04 GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
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AI summary

Methods and systems are provided for a ventilation system (100). In one example, a method includes obtaining (504, 602) one or more patient ventilation parameter images of a patient with the ventilation system while the patient is undergoing mechanical ventilation; obtaining one or more reference ventilation parameter images; processing, with at least one comparison model, each patient ventilation parameter image and each reference ventilation parameter image to characterize at least one feature in each patient ventilation parameter image and each reference ventilation parameter image, including converting each patient ventilation parameter image and each reference ventilation parameter image to a binary mask; identifying (508, 606), based on of the at least one feature, a deviation between a patient ventilation parameter image and a corresponding reference ventilation parameter image; and in response to the identifying, outputting (510, 608) a notification that indicates the deviation.