Patent ID: 6558334
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
Apparatus for diagnosing lesion severity of a lesion in an arterial lumen supplying blood to a muscle in its non-hyperemic state of a human subject, the apparatus comprising:(a) an intravascular pressure measurement device for deployment adjacent the lesion in the arterial lumen supplying blood to the muscle in its non-hyperemic state; (b) a pressure monitoring system connected to said intravascular pressure measurement device for measuring a non-hyperemic pressure waveform acquisitioned proximal to the lesion, and a non-hyperemic pressure waveform acquisitioned distal thereto, the former consisting of a series of pressure pulses each including a dicrotic notch, and the latter consisting of a series of pressure pulses each potentially including a dicrotic notch depending on the severity of the lesion; and (c) a Pulse Transmission Coefficient (PTC) processor for processing information relating to the shape of the dicrotic notch of at least one pressure pulse of said proximal non-hyperemic pressure waveform and either the absence of dicrotic notches along said distal non-hyperemic pressure waveform or the shape of the dicrotic notch of at least one pressure pulse of said distal non-hyperemic pressure waveform if present to calculate the value of a PTC parameter indicative of the severity of the lesion.