Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring anisocoria and asymmetry of pupillary reaction to stimulus
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8534840-B2
Publication Date
2013-09-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
A Pupillometer is disclosed. The Pupillometer has a display, an imaging apparatus that has a pupil finder and a microprocessor, and a memory in communication with the microprocessor. The display is sized to simultaneously display a video of y or more seconds in length of a left pupil and a video of y or more seconds in length of a right pupil. The pupil finder identifies the perimeter of a pupil. The imaging apparatus is capable of recording images of an individual's pupils at a rate of x image frames per second for a period of y or more seconds and playing back said image frames as a video at x image frames per second or at another rate that is faster or slower than x image frames per second. The memory has stored therein a program for enabling said microprocessor to do the following: (i) identify a center of the left pupil and a center of the right pupil for each image frame; (ii) synchronize each image frame of the two videos starting from the first frame; (iii) cause the display to display the two videos simultaneously such that each of the image frames of the video of the left eye is synchronized to a corresponding image frame of the video of the right eye when played back on the display; and (iv) cause the two videos to be displayed so that the center of the left pupil in each image frame is aligned on the display with the center of the right pupil for the corresponding image frame.
Core Innovation
A pupillometer system provides a display sized to simultaneously display a first frame comprising one or more consecutive images of a left pupil and a second frame comprising one or more consecutive images of a right pupil. An imaging apparatus includes a pupil finder that identifies the perimeter of a pupil and a microprocessor. The imaging apparatus is capable of recording images of an individual's right and left pupils simultaneously and playing back the images.
A memory in communication with the microprocessor stores a program that enables the microprocessor to identify a center of the left pupil and a center of the right pupil in each recorded image of a pupil. The program synchronizes the one or more consecutive images of the left pupil with the one or more consecutive images of the right pupil. The program causes the display to display the one or more consecutive images of the left pupil in the first frame and the one or more consecutive images of the right pupil in the second frame so that each image in the first frame is synchronized with its corresponding image in the second frame when played back.
The program further causes the images to be displayed so that the center of the left pupil in each image in the first frame is aligned on the display with the center of the right pupil in each of the corresponding images in the second frame. The disclosure also includes overlay visualization using straight or parallel alignment lines, with section-specific spacing based on left versus right pupil diameters and optional color-coding of line sections. Additional playback capabilities include graphical response plots and playback rate control with pausing and frame-by-frame comparison.
Claims Coverage
The provided claims cover one independent pupillometer claim and dependent refinements. The independent claim includes four inventive features: simultaneous recording and display of left and right pupil image sequences, pupil perimeter and center identification, synchronization of corresponding frames, and center-aligned playback. The dependent claims add overlay visualization with parallel lines, diameter-based section spacing, and optional color distinction.
Simultaneous left and right pupil frame display with center alignment
A display is sized to simultaneously display a first frame comprising one or more consecutive images of a left pupil and a second frame comprising one or more consecutive images of a right pupil, with corresponding images played back such that the center of the left pupil in each left-pupil image is aligned on the display with the center of the right pupil in each corresponding right-pupil image.
Pupil perimeter identification and center identification program
An imaging apparatus includes a pupil finder that identifies the perimeter of a pupil and a microprocessor that records images of right and left pupils simultaneously and plays back the images, with a memory-stored program enabling the microprocessor to identify a center of the left pupil and a center of the right pupil in each recorded image.
Synchronization of consecutive left and right pupil images for corresponding playback
The memory-stored program synchronizes the one or more consecutive images of the left pupil with the one or more consecutive images of the right pupil and causes the display to display the synchronized left-pupil images in the first frame and the synchronized right-pupil images in the second frame so that each image in the first frame is synchronized with its corresponding image in the second frame when played back.
Diameter-based parallel-line overlay visualization
The pupillometer includes display overlay visualization drawn with parallel lines in each image frame, where the spacing between the parallel lines in a first line section is set based on a diameter of the left pupil and spacing in a second line section is set based on a diameter of the right pupil.
Color-distinguished parallel-line overlay sections
The pupillometer draws parallel lines in a first section and parallel lines in a second section with different colors.
The core inventive coverage centers on simultaneously recording left and right pupil image sequences, identifying each pupil center per frame, synchronizing corresponding frames, and displaying the frames with left and right centers aligned. Dependent refinements add an overlay of parallel lines whose spacing is defined by pupil diameters in different sections, with optional color distinction between those sections.
Stated Advantages
Improves operator perception of left-right differences through overlay visualization using section-specific alignment line spacing based on left versus right pupil diameters, optionally with color coding.
Documented Applications
Monitoring anisocoria and asymmetry of pupillary light reflex using simultaneous recording and synchronized display of left and right pupil responses.
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