Device for subject image monitoring, method therefor, and system for image monitoring

Inventors

Woo, Eung Je • OH, Tong In

Assignees

Bilab Co Ltd

Abstract

Disclosed are an image monitoring apparatus and method for displaying a lung ventilation impedance image and a lung perfusion impedance image based on impedance data measured at a thorax of a subject, and a reference image based on a biometric signal, in which impedance data based on voltage measured at the thorax of the subject is separated into lung ventilation impedance data and lung perfusion impedance data, and dynamic bloodstream change data in a heart and blood vessels by electrical impedance tomography (EIT); and a lung ventilation impedance image, a lung perfusion impedance image, and a heart and blood vessel impedance image, which are obtained by the separation, and a reference image based on a biometric signal sensed at a part of the subject targeted to be examined are displayed according to a pathological condition of the subject.

Core Innovation

An image monitoring apparatus receives lung ventilation impedance data, lung perfusion impedance data, and bloodstream impedance data that are separated from voltage measured at a thorax of a subject by an electrical impedance tomography (EIT) device. The apparatus generates at least one of a lung ventilation impedance image, a lung perfusion impedance image, and a bloodstream impedance image based on the respectively received impedance data. The measured voltage is separated into the lung ventilation impedance data, the lung perfusion impedance data, and the bloodstream impedance data prior to generating the impedance images.

A controller controls at least one of the lung ventilation impedance image, the lung perfusion impedance image, and the bloodstream impedance image to be displayed according to screen modes and measurement parts. The displayed images correspond to the separated impedance data and are organized based on the screen modes and measurement parts. The apparatus is used for real-time image monitoring of a subject state through the generation and controlled display of impedance images.

An image monitoring system includes an EIT device and an image monitoring apparatus. The EIT device selectively supplies electric currents to at least one pair of electrodes selected among a plurality of electrodes attached along a chest circumference of a subject, measures induced voltages through unselected electrodes, and separates at least one of lung ventilation impedance data, lung perfusion impedance data, and bloodstream impedance data based on the impedance data obtained from the voltage measurements. The image monitoring apparatus displays at least one of the lung ventilation impedance image, the lung perfusion impedance image, and the bloodstream impedance image based on the separated impedance data, where the measured voltage is separated prior to image generation.

Claims Coverage

The document includes three independent claims: an image monitoring apparatus, an image monitoring system, and an image monitoring method. Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on prior separation of thorax-measured voltage into lung ventilation, lung perfusion, and bloodstream impedance data, followed by generation and controlled display of corresponding impedance images according to screen modes and measurement parts.

Across the independent claims, the primary inventive focus is the prior separation of measured thorax voltage into lung ventilation, lung perfusion, and bloodstream impedance data, followed by generation of corresponding impedance images and display control using screen modes and measurement parts. The system claim additionally defines selective electrode-pair current supply and voltage measurement via unselected electrodes within the EIT device.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications