Portable Heart Motion Monitor

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a method and device to monitor the heart of a subject using radio signals. Availability of a portable heart monitor that can be used in a subject's home can increase patient compliance and improve diagnosis rates of cardiac conditions. A mobile heart monitor can be especially useful to those subjects who are elderly, incapacitated, or do not have easy access to a clinic, doctor's office, or hospital.

1 . A method of detecting an irregular heartbeat in a subject, the method comprising:
 a) transmitting a wavelength of electromagnetic radiation to a heart of the subject;   b) detecting an electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject;   c) determining based on the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject a change in a dimension of the heart of the subject; and   d) determining based on the change in the dimension of the heart of the subject whether the subject has the irregular heartbeat.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is undergoing an intervention for the irregular heartbeat, the method further comprising determining based on the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject whether the intervention for the irregular heartbeat has modulated the irregular heartbeat. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is undergoing an intervention for a non-irregular heartbeat condition, the method further comprising determining based on the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject whether the intervention for the non-irregular heartbeat condition has induced the irregular heartbeat. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determination whether the subject has the irregular heartbeat is determined by an analysis of a movement of a portion of the heart. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising attaching a source of electromagnetic radiation to the subject's body. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is attached to the subject's body in proximity to the subject's heart. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is attached to the subject's chest. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is attached to the subject's back. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the subject is in a held-breath state. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the heart of the subject is a radio wave. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the irregular heartbeat is associated with atrial fibrillation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the irregular heartbeat is associated with atrial flutter. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the irregular heartbeat is associated with ventricular fibrillation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the irregular heartbeat is associated with ventricular flutter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the irregular heartbeat is associated with cardiac arrhythmia. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is human. 
     
     
         17 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the electromagnetic radiation to the heart of the subject is by a Doppler radar device. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the Doppler radar device is a continuous wave Doppler radar device. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject is by a Doppler radar device. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the Doppler radar device is a continuous wave Doppler radar device. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining based on the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject a change in a dimension of a chamber of the heart of the subject. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining based on the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject a relative position of a portion of the heart as compared to other portions of the heart. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining based on the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject a motion of the heart of the subject. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining based on the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject a motion of a chamber of the heart of the subject. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a) receiving by a computer system data associated with the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject;   b) comparing by a processor of the computer system the data associated with the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject to a reference;   c) determining based on the comparison of the data associated with the electromagnetic signal reflected off the heart of the subject to the reference whether the subject has the irregular heartbeat; and   d) outputting a result of the determination.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the reference is past measurement data of the subject.