Patent ID: 9002427
Filing Date: 2015-04-07
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for determining a change in the dielectric or spatial configurations of multiple portions of a lung or lungs of a patient by interrogating the portions of the lung or lungs with electromagnetic energy, comprising: a plurality of antennas adapted to be worn by the patient and located adjacent different portions of the lung; and a plurality of sensing units each configured to resolve a change in reflected signals, wherein said sensing units are configured to examine an interrogation volume smaller than a lung, and to resolve a change in reflected signals that is functionally related to a change in respiratory volume in a portion of the lung, wherein each of the sensing units comprises: a central processing unit configured to compare information received from each sensing unit to determine differences between different portions of the lung, wherein each of the one or more sensing units transmits information about the portions of the lung determined from the sensing unit based on the round trip time of flight, further wherein each sensing unit is configured to independently monitor and transmit data about different portions of the lung.