초록 ▼

The present invention provides a noninvasive localization, characterization and classification apparatus and method for cardiac arrhythmias. The invention enables discrete isolation of the intricate spatial and temporal detail in morphology of the atrial activity of interest from superimposed ventri

The present invention provides a noninvasive localization, characterization and classification apparatus and method for cardiac arrhythmias. The invention enables discrete isolation of the intricate spatial and temporal detail in morphology of the atrial activity of interest from superimposed ventricular activity of a preceding heartbeat in a particular arrhythmia. An adaptive QRST subtraction template is used that is modulated for discrepancies in voltage and rate between the QRST template and arrhythmia signal. The QRST template modulation is accomplished by using one or more fiducial points and windows that are annotated in both the QRST template and the arrhythmia signal. The invention includes, but is not limited to, the isolation of atrial activity that are commonly known as: (1) P waves in case of focal atrial fibrillation, atrial tachycardia, and orthodromic AV reentrant tachycardia; (2) fibrillation waves in case of chronic atrial fibrillation; and (3) flutter waves in case of atrial flutter.

대표청구항 ▼

The present invention provides a noninvasive localization, characterization and classification apparatus and method for cardiac arrhythmias. The invention enables discrete isolation of the intricate spatial and temporal detail in morphology of the atrial activity of interest from superimposed ventri

The present invention provides a noninvasive localization, characterization and classification apparatus and method for cardiac arrhythmias. The invention enables discrete isolation of the intricate spatial and temporal detail in morphology of the atrial activity of interest from superimposed ventricular activity of a preceding heartbeat in a particular arrhythmia. An adaptive QRST subtraction template is used that is modulated for discrepancies in voltage and rate between the QRST template and arrhythmia signal. The QRST template modulation is accomplished by using one or more fiducial points and windows that are annotated in both the QRST template and the arrhythmia signal. The invention includes, but is not limited to, the isolation of atrial activity that are commonly known as: (1) P waves in case of focal atrial fibrillation, atrial tachycardia, and orthodromic AV reentrant tachycardia; (2) fibrillation waves in case of chronic atrial fibrillation; and (3) flutter waves in case of atrial flutter. said GRIN lens and said prism. 8. An optical imaging device according to claim 7, wherein said Faraday rotator joined with adhesive to said GRIN lens and said prism to form an integrated composition. 9. An optical imaging device for irradiating a subject with low coherence light, to produce a tomogram of the subject from data on light scattered by the subject, said optical imaging device comprising: light irradiation and reception means for irradiating the subject with low coherence light and for receiving reflection from the subject; propagation delay time-varying means connected to said light irradiation and reception means for causing low coherence light returning from the subject to interfere with a reference beam, and for varying the propagation delay time of the reference beam, depending on a scanning range, in order to scan the interference location axially along the optical axis, wherein said propagation delay time-varying means varies the interference location, depending on an axial scan of an optical element, and wherein the repetitive axial scan of said optical element continuously varies the interference location; a light detector for detecting interference light intensity in the form of an interference signal; reference position detection means for said optical element; first memory means for preserving an interference contrast signal that corresponds to a particular one-way axial scan based on the detection by said reference position detection means; and a second memory means for preserving an interference signal that corresponds to an axial scan in the opposite direction to said particular one-way axial scan; wherein backward reading of data stored in said first memory means and said second memory means produces interference signals that indicate scanning in the same direction. 10. An optical imaging device according to claim 9, wherein said axially scanning optical element includes a mirror. 11. An optical imaging device according to claim 10, wherein said mirror is one of a galvanometer mirror, resonance scan mirror and retro-reflecting prism. 12. An optical imaging device according to claim 9, wherein said reference detection means includes a the driving signal for the axially scanning element. 13. An optical imaging device according to claim 9, wherein said first memory means and said second memory means are line memories for storing digital signals produced by an analog-to-digital conversion of the interference signals. 14. An optical imaging device according to claim 9, further comprising delay setting means for setting delays different from each other, thereby reading data stored in said first memory means and said second memory means. 15. An optical imaging device according to claim 14, further comprising manual input means for setting delays. 16. An optical imaging device according to claim 14, further comprising phase adjustment means for detecting a reference signal in each of the interference signals data stored in said first memory means and said second memory means, and for adjusting said delay setting means so that both reference signals may coincide with each other. 17. An optical imaging device according to claim 9, wherein said optical imaging device reads an interference signal data set from each of said first memory means and said second memory means, and displays the read signal onto adjacent lines in a two-dimensional image. 18. An optical imaging device according to claim 9, wherein said the first memory means and the second memory means consists of a single memory means for preserving an interference contrast signal that corresponds to both directions of axial scan, and wherein reading of data from both beginning and end of said single memory means produces interference signals that indicate scanning in the same direction. 19. An optical imaging device according to claim 18, further comprising delay setting means provided for setting delays different from each other, thereby r eading data stored at a beginning and end of said single memory means. 20. An optical imaging device according to claim 18, further comprising phase adjustment means provided for detecting a reference signal in each of the interference signals data stored in a beginning and end of said single memory means, and for adjusting said delay setting means so that both reference signals may coincide with each other. 21. An optical imaging device according to claim 18, wherein said optical imaging device reads an interference signal data set from a beginning and end of said single memory means, and displays the read signal onto adjacent lines in a two-dimensional image. 22. An optical imaging device for irradiating a subject with low coherence light, to produce a tomogram of the subject from data on light scattered by the subject, said optical imaging device comprising: light irradiation and reception means for irradiating the subject with low coherence light and for receiving reflection from the subject; propagation delay time-varying means connected to said light irradiation reception means for causing low coherence light returning from the subject to interfere with a reference beam, and for varying the reference beam propagation delay time, depending on the scanning range, in order to scan the interference location axially along the optical axis, wherein said propagation delay time-varying means varies the interference location, depending on the movement of an optical element, and wherein the continuous movement of said optical element continuously varies the interference location; a light detector for detecting interference light intensity in the form of an interference signal; position detection means for the interference location; memory means for preserving interference intensity signals in time series; and calculation means for calculating an address in said memory means, said address corresponding to the interference location; wherein said calculation means reads data stored in said address and produces an interference signal that corresponds to the interference location. 23. An optical imaging device for irradiating a subject with low coherence light, to produce a tomogram of the subject, from data on light scattered by the subject, said optical imaging device comprising: light irradiation and reception means for irradiating the subject with low coherence light and for receiving reflection from the subject; propagation delay time-varying means connected to said light irradiation and reception means for causing low coherence light returning from the subject to interfere with a reference beam, and for varying the reference beam propagation delay time, depending on the scanning range, in order to scan the interference location axially along the optical axis; a light detector for detecting interference light intensity in the form of an interference signal; calculation means for calculating a Doppler frequency of an interference signal produced by scanning the reference beam propagation delay time; a demodulator for demodulating the signal from said light detector, and a frequency characteristics setting means for varying frequency characteristics of said demodulator depending on the calculated Doppler frequency. 24. An optical imaging device according to claim 23, wherein said propagation delay time-varying means varies the interference location in a nonlinear manner with respect to time. 25. An optical imaging device according to claim 23, wherein said propagation delay time-varying means includes a galvanometer mirror. 26. An optical imaging device according to claim 23, wherein said propagation delay time-varying means includes a resonant scan mirror. 27. An optical imaging device according to claim 23, further comprising means for setting movement speed and Doppler frequency of the interference location according to the length of the scanning range. 28. An optical imaging device according to claim 23, whe rein said demodulator is preceded by a band-pass filter that passes electronic signals in a frequency band close to the Doppler frequency. 29. An optical imaging device according to claim 28, wherein said frequency characteristics setting means varies cut-off frequencies in the high and low bands of said band-pass filter in accordance with the nonlinearity of the reference arm propagation delay time-varying means in the reference arm. 30. An optical imaging device according to claim 23, wherein said demodulator comprises a tracking demodulator including a coherent demodulator, said coherent demodulator requiring a reference frequency signal, said reference frequency signal being provided by a signal generator according to the calculated Doppler shift of the reference arm, said reference frequency signal being varied in accordance with the reference arm propagation delay time. 31. An optical imaging device for irradiating a subject with low coherence light to produce a tomogram of the subject from data on light scattered by the subject, said optical imaging device comprising: an optical probe having an elongated flexible insertion unit capable of being introduced into the subject, said optical probe having a light guide including a single mode fiber for emitting low coherence light from an end surface on a distal end of said insertion unit to said subject, and for detecting reflection from said subject; interference means for causing low coherence light returning from the subject to interfere with a reference beam; optical probe attachment means provided on an optical path between said optical probe and said interference means; propagation delay time-varying means connected to said interference means for varying the propagation delay time of the reference beam, depending on the scanning range, in order to scan the interference location axially along the optical axis; polarization adjustment means provided in at least one place on optical paths including a path from said interference means to said optical probe, and a path from said interference means to said propagation delay time-varying means; reference reflection means provided close to a distal end of said optical probe insertion unit; and polarization optimization means for obtaining reflection data from said reference reflection means in the form of an interference intensity signal produced from said interference means, and for setting said polarization adjustment means so that the interference intensity signal may be maximized. 32. An optical imaging device according to claim 31, further comprising scanning emission means including an emission-direction-changing means for changing the optical path of the emission, rotary scanning means for turning an integrated system of said single mode fiber, lenses, and said emission-direction-changing means, and an optical rotary joint for connecting said rotating single mode fiber and said interference means. 33. An optical imaging device according to claim 31, further comprising scanning emission means including an emission-direction-changing means for changing the optical path of the emission, a linear scanning means for scanning an integrated system of said single mode fiber, lenses, and said emission-direction-changing means along the axis of the insertion unit. 34. An optical imaging device according to claim 31, wherein said polarization adjustment means includes at least one optical fiber loop. 35. An optical imaging device according to claim 31, wherein said polarization adjustment means includes at least a 1/2 wavelength plate and a 1/4 wavelength plate. 36. An optical imaging device according to claim 31, said reference reflection means being a scattering object of liquid. 37. An optical imaging device according to claim 31, said reference reflection means being a reflecting or scattering object of solid. 38. An optical imaging device according to claim 31, said reference reflection means being an integrating sp here. 39. An optical imaging device according to claim 31, said reference reflection means being a part of an optical element provided on an optical path from said single mode fiber to said end surface on the distal side of said insertion unit. 40. An optical imaging device according to claim 39, said optical element being one of a surface of a lens, prism, Faraday rotator and optical sheath. 41. An optical imaging device for irradiating a subject with low coherence light to produce a tomogram of the subject from data on light scattered by the subject, said optical imaging device comprising: light irradiation and reception means for irradiating the subject with low coherence light and for receiving reflections from the subject; propagation delay time-varying means connected to said light irradiation and reception means for causing the low coherence light returning from the subject to interfere with a reference beam, and for varying the propagation delay time, depending on the scanning range, in order to scan the interference location axially along the optical axis; said propagation delay time-varying means having a dispersive means, imagine means, and reflection mirror; and said reflection mirror including a polygonal mirror, wherein the rotation of said polygonal mirror enables scanning the interference location. 42. An optical imaging device according to claim 41, said dispersive means being a grating, said imaging means being a lens, wherein the lens is placed approximately one focal length away from a grating, and the reflection surface of said polygonal mirror is provided approximately one focal length beyond said lens. 43. An optical imaging device according to claim 41, wherein the center of rotation of said polygon mirror is a predetermined distance off the optical axis of said propagation delay time-varying means. 44. An optical imaging device according to claim 41, wherein a rotation reference position detection means is provided on said polygonal mirror. 45. An optical imaging device for irradiating a subject with low coherence light to produce a tomogram of the subject from data on light scattered by the subject, said optical imaging device comprising: light irradiation and reception means for irradiating the subject with low coherence light and for receiving reflections from the subject; propagation delay time-varying means connected to said light irradiation and reception means for causing the low coherence light returning from the subject to interfere with a reference beam, and for varying the propagation delay time, depending on a scanning range, in order to scan the interference location axially along the optical axis; said propagation delay time-varying means having a dispersive means, imaging means, and reflection mirror; a resonant scanner including said reflection mirror; and a scanner driver which generates a drive signal for a resonant scanner containing additional one or higher frequency harmonic components. 46. An optical imaging device for irradiating a subject with low coherence light to produce a tomogram of the subject from data on light scattered by the subject, said optical imaging device comprising a display scale for determining an optical length in a medium having a refractive index less than an average refractive index of tissue and a display scale for determining an optical length in a tissue. 47. An optical imaging device according to claim 46, wherein said display scale for said medium is adapted to indicate an optical length for a refractive index n of approximately 1, and said display scale for said tissue is adapted to determine an optical length for a refractive index n of 1.3 to 1.5. 48. An optical scanning probe unit for optical imaging instruments, which forms tomographic images of an object by irradiating low-coherent light on the object and collecting data of light scattered from the object comprising: a sheath comprising a resin tube having flexibility through