Noninvasive method for measuring sound frequencies created by vortices in a carotid artery, visualization of stenosis, and ablation means

Abstract

A method for measuring sound from vortices in the carotid artery comprising: first and second quality control provisions, wherein the quality control compares detected sounds to predetermined sounds, and upon confirmation of the quality control procedures, detecting sounds generated by the heart and sounds from vortices in the carotid artery for at least 30 seconds.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for detecting sound from vortices in a carotid artery comprising:
 a. performing a first quality control procedure on an array comprising at least two sensing elements, said array configured for receiving sounds from a base unit, wherein said first quality control procedure is performed by playing a predetermined set of tones within said base unit, wherein said at least two sensing elements detect said set of tones and wherein said detected set of tones are compared to said predetermined set of tones;   b. after step (a), performing a second quality control procedure on the at least two sensing elements, wherein said second quality control procedure is performed by detecting sounds generated by blood flow through the carotid artery; wherein said at least two sensing elements detect said sounds generated by the blood flow through the carotid artery, and said detected sounds are compared to a previously recorded set of sounds corresponding to the sounds generated by blood flow through the carotid artery; and   c. after step (b), detecting sounds from vortices in the carotid artery for at least 30 seconds.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sounds detected from the vortices in the carotid artery are between 40 Hz and 1,600 Hz. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a further step (d) comprises eliminating sounds from the carotid artery that are outside of a range of between 40 Hz and 1600 Hz. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  comprising a further step (e) comprising generating a power spectral density graph of the sounds from step (d). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  comprising three sensor pods. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in step (a), if a comparison between said detected set of tones and said predetermined set of tones has a variance of more than 5% relative to amplitude or wavelength, then the sensing element is determined to be faulty. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in step (b), if the detected set of sounds compared to the previously recorded sounds have a variance of more than 25% relative to amplitude, then the sensing elements need to be repositioned. 
     
     
         8 . A method for measuring vortices produced in a carotid artery due to plaque accumulation in the artery comprising:
 a. performing a first quality control procedure on at least two sensing elements, wherein said first quality control procedure is performed by playing a predetermined set of tones within a base unit, wherein said at least two sensing elements detect said set of tones and wherein said detected set of tones are compared to said predetermined set of tones, wherein if said set of tones are within 5% of amplitude and wavelength, the first quality control procedure is passed, wherein if the quality control fails, replacement of one or more sensing elements is required;   b. after step (a), performing a second quality control procedure on at least two sensing elements, wherein said second quality control procedure is performed by detecting sounds generated by a heart and by blood flow through the carotid artery; wherein said at least two sensing elements detect said sounds generated by the heart and blood flow through the carotid artery, and said detected sounds are compared to a previously recorded set of sounds corresponding to the sounds generated by the heart and blood flow through the carotid artery, wherein detected sounds within 25% of the previously recorded set of sounds based on amplitude and wavelength confirm an appropriate position, and wherein detected sounds greater than 25% require repositioning of one or more of the sensing elements; and   c. after step (b), detecting sounds generated by the heart and sounds from vortices in the carotid artery for at least 30 seconds.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  comprising three sensor pods, wherein in step (c), detection of sounds generated by the heart and sounds from the vortices in the carotid artery are detected simultaneously by the three sensor pods. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the sounds detected in step (c) are between 40 Hz and 1,600 Hz. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein a further step (d) comprises eliminating sounds from the carotid artery that are outside of a range of between 40 Hz and 1,600 Hz. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  comprising a further step (e) comprising generating a power spectral density graph of the sounds from step (d). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  comprising three sensor pods. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein in step (a), if a comparison between said detected set of tones and said predetermined set of tones has a variance of more than 5% relative to the amplitude or wavelength, then the sensing element is determined to be faulty. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8  wherein in step (b), if the detected sounds compared to the previously recorded set of sounds have a variance of more than 25% relative to the amplitude, then the sensing elements need to be repositioned. 
     
     
         16 . A system for measuring vortices in a carotid artery comprising: a computer, a microprocessor, and memory attached thereto capable of running software, a software program, a base unit comprising at least one speaker, and an array comprising at least three sensor pods, wherein each of said sensor pods comprises a piezoelectric unit suitable for detecting sounds in a range of 40 Hz to 1,600 Hz; wherein a method is performed comprising:
 a. wherein said array and sensor pods are positioned within a cradle of said base unit, and wherein said software generates a set of predetermined tones through said at least one speaker and wherein said set of predetermined tones are detected by said sensor pods and said software program compares the detected sounds to the generated set of predetermined tones to confirm that each sensor pod is accurately detecting said set of predetermined tones within 5% of frequency and amplitude of the set of predetermined tones;   b. after step (a), wherein said array and sensor pods are placed onto a patient and wherein one sensor pod is placed adjacent to a heart and the second and third sensor pods are placed adjacent to left and right carotid arteries;   c. after step (b), wherein a second quality control procedure is performed for 15 seconds, wherein the sensor pods detect sounds from the heart and the carotid arteries and the software program compares the detected sounds to a predetermined set of sounds corresponding to the heart and sounds generated by fluid flow in the carotid arteries;   d. after step (c), detecting sounds from the heart and the carotid arteries for between 30 seconds and 120 seconds;   e. after step (d), down sampling the detected sounds from analog to digital at a sampling rate of 20 kHz; and   f. after step (e), removing sounds from the digital outside of the range of 40 Hz to 1,600 Hz.