Patent ID: 7753854

Claim:
A system for quantifying blood flow in a living subject comprising: (a) a thermal energy source for increasing blood temperature at a location in the venous side of the circulatory system during preselected time intervals; (b) a first sensor for sensing blood temperature in the venous side of the circulatory system where blood temperature is substantially unaffected by the output of the thermal energy source; (c) a second sensor for sensing blood temperature in the arterial blood flow path where the blood temperature is affected by the output of the thermal energy source; and (d) means responsive to the first and second sensors and output of said thermal energy source for calculating a blood flow related value as a function of outputs of the first and second sensors when blood temperature in the arterial side of the circulatory system is affected by output of said thermal energy source and the outputs of the first and second sensors when blood temperature in the arterial side of the circulatory system is not substantially affected by said thermal energy source.