Patent ID: 7904136
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: A61B,G01F,G01R

Abstract:
1. A system for evaluating a patient identified as having symptomatic vertebrobasilar disease (VBD), comprising: instrumentation for measuring blood flow in the basilar artery and the right and left posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs) of the patient; a processing element programmed to receive the measured blood flows; wherein the processing element is programmed to compare the measured basilar artery blood flow with a specified basilar flow threshold and to classify the patient as appropriate for receiving only medical therapy if the measured basilar artery blood flow is above the specified basilar flow threshold; and, wherein, if the measured basilar artery blood flow is below the specified basilar flow threshold, the processing element is programmed to compare a measured PCA blood flow with a specified PCA flow threshold and classify the patient as appropriate for receiving a flow augmentation therapy if the measured PCA blood flow is below the specified PCA flow threshold.