System and method for non-invasive instantaneous and continuous measurement of cardiac chamber volume

Abstract

A system and method for non-invasive and continuous measurement of cardiac chamber volume and derivative parameters including stroke volume, cardiac output and ejection fraction comprising an ultrawideband radar system having a trans-mitting and receiving antenna for applying ultrawideband radio signals to a target area of a subject's anatomy wherein the receiving antenna collects and transmits signal returns from the target area which are then delivered to a data processing unit, such as an integrated processor or PDA, having software and hardware used to process the signal returns to produce a value for cardiac stroke volume and changes in cardiac stroke volume supporting multiple diagnostic requirements for emergency response and medical personnel whether located in the battlefield, at a disaster site or at a hospital or other treatment facility.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical device for determining a change in the spatial configuration of a heart, comprising: at least one antenna adapted to be located adjacent a portion of the heart; and a sensing unit capable of resolving a change in reflected signals, wherein said sensing unit of the medical device is capable of resolving a change in reflected signals that are functionally related to a change in cardiac ventricular volume. 
     
     
         2 . A medical device according to  claim 1  wherein the device is located external to the body. 
     
     
         3 . A medical device, according to  claim 1 , wherein said sensing unit further comprises: a substrate and a plurality of antennae mounted to said substrate in a pattern and being capable of both transmitting and receiving radiofrequency signals. 
     
     
         4 . A medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reflected signals are derivative of an earlier transmitted ultrawideband signal. 
     
     
         5 . A medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reflected signals are derivative of an earlier transmitted ultrawideband signal having a frequency band extending from 1 GHz to 15 GHz. 
     
     
         6 . A medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reflected signals are derivative of an earlier transmitted ultrawideband signal having a frequency band extending from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. 
     
     
         7 . A medical device according to  claim 6  wherein the transmitted ultrawideband signal is compliant with applicable FCC regulations. 
     
     
         8 . A medical device according to  claim 1  wherein the device is adapted to collect data from the heart. 
     
     
         9 . A medical device, according to  claim 8 , wherein the medical device is adapted to collect said data from a targeted portion of the heart. 
     
     
         10 . A medical device according to  claim 9  wherein said targeted portion is selected from a group consisting of the left ventricle, right ventricle, left atrium, right atrium, mitral valve, pulmonary valve, aortic valve, and tricuspid valve. 
     
     
         11 . A medical device, comprising: a sensing unit including a control unit, a radar transceiver, and at least one antenna, said at least one antenna being adapted to be located adjacent a portion of a heart to measure dynamic motion of a targeted portion of the heart. 
     
     
         12 . A medical device according to  claim 11  wherein said control unit drives said radar transceiver and said radar transceiver transmits radiofrequency energy at said targeted portion and said radar transceiver receives reflections of said transmitted radiofrequency energy from said targeted portion and said at least one antenna couples the radiofrequency energy between said transceiver and said targeted portion. 
     
     
         13 . A medical device according to  claim 11  wherein said sensing unit further comprises software configured to cause said sensing unit to be capable of resolving a change in a spatial configuration of the heart. 
     
     
         14 . A medical device according to  claim 11  wherein said control unit drives said transceiver to transmit radiofrequency energy at a target and receive reflections of radiofrequency energy from the target to create a coupling of energy between said transceiver and the target. 
     
     
         15 . A medical device according to  claim 13  wherein said change in spatial configuration is functionally related to a change in ventricular volume. 
     
     
         16 . A medical device, according to  claim 11 , wherein said sensing unit further comprises: a substrate; said at least one antenna mounted to said substrate and being capable of sensing a reflected signal; and a plurality of conductors extending from said at least one antenna and electrically coupled with said control unit. 
     
     
         17 . A medical device, according to  claim 11 , wherein said sensing unit further comprises: a substrate; a plurality of antennae mounted to said substrate in a pattern and being capable of sensing reflected signals received by said plurality of antennae; and a plurality of conductors extending from said plurality of antennae and electrically coupled with said sensing unit. 
     
     
         18 . A medical device, according to  claim 11 , wherein said at least one antenna is adapted to be located on a subject's chest adjacent a portion of the heart. 
     
     
         19 . A medical device, according to  claim 11 , wherein said at least one antenna is adapted to be located in close proximity to a subject's sternum within a five centimeter radius of a center point of the sternum so as to collect strong reflected signals caused by the beating of the heart.