Automatic external defibrillator for the diagnosis of stroke

Abstract

A medical diagnostic method, system and related equipment particularly adapted to diagnose disorders of the blood circulation serving the head and neck, and especially the brain. A preferred use of the system is early, rapid, accurate, diagnosis of stroke, especially whether the stroke is due to blockage of a blood vessel or leakage from the blood vessel.

We claim: 
     
       1. Using non-ultrasonic detection of symptoms of stroke to dynamically couple an ultrasonic transducer/receiver to a skull, in which the non-ultrasonic detection comprises at least one of the group consisting of computed tomography scanning, magnetic resonance scanning, differential spectrophotometric methods, near-infrared detection of tissue characteristics, detection of a biological material, measurement of a biological material, detection of a chemical, measurement of a chemical, detection of S100β, measurement of S100β, use of biological assay techniques, detection of change in blood pressure, detection of change in pressure within the eye, detection of change in blood flow in arteries serving organs other than the brain, or detection of change in blood flow in the arteries serving the eye. 
     
     
       2. For a patient having a skull containing brain tissue and blood vessels, a process for diagnosing stroke in the patient, comprising:
 a) dynamically coupling at least one ultrasonic transmitter/receiver to at least one man-made opening in the skull of the patient;   b) imaging a region within the skull of the patient; and   c) at least one of: determining presence of hemorrhagic stroke by identifying relatively diffuse blood flow within the skull of the patient; determining presence of ischemic stroke by identifying at least one location of inadequate blood flow within the skull of the patient; and diagnosing between hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke by classifying a region within the skull of the patient in terms of adequacy of blood flow.   
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 2 , in which the imaging comprises generating and receiving ultrasonic signals suitable for processing into information about the region within the skull of the patient. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 2 , in which a region is classified in terms of normal blood flow. 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 2 , in which a region is classified in terms of inadequate blood flow. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 2 , in which a region is classified in terms of relatively diffuse blood flow. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 2 , in which locations of hemorrhagic stroke are determined by identifying relatively diffuse blood flow outside the blood vessels of the brain. 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 2  in which locations of ischemic stroke are determined by identifying relatively inadequate blood flow within the blood vessels of the brain. 
     
     
       9. The process of  claim 2  in which presence of ischemic stroke is determined by identifying at least one location where there is at least partial blockage of blood flow. 
     
     
       10. The process of  claim 2 , further comprising applying a vacuum to the skull. 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 2 , further comprising applying an acoustic coupling material to the skull. 
     
     
       12. A combined portable automatic external defibrillator (AED) and stroke therapy device for the treatment of patients, the device comprising:
 an automatic external defibrillator which gathers electrocardiogram (ECG) data;   an ultrasonic transducer, coupled to the automatic external defibrillator, which is adapted to be acoustically coupled to the brain of a subject to send and receive ultrasound signals;   imaging components configured to diagnose stroke from the ultrasound signals received by the ultrasound transducer and the ECG data;   a common power supply which powers both the automatic external defibrillator and the ultrasonic transducer; and   common audio or visual prompting equipment which prompts a user for proper use of the device,   wherein the ultrasonic transducer is configured to deliver additional ultrasonic energy during administration of a therapy following the diagnosis of stroke.   
     
     
       13. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 12, wherein the common power supply includes a battery. 
     
     
       14. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 12, wherein the automatic external defibrillator includes a defibrillator electrode. 
     
     
       15. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 12, wherein the ultrasound transducer is an annular transducer. 
     
     
       16. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 12, being further configured to diagnose a type of stroke. 
     
     
       17. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 16, wherein the type of stroke includes an ischemic stroke. 
     
     
       18. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 16, wherein the type of stroke includes a hemorrhagic stroke. 
     
     
       19. A combined portable automatic external defibrillator (AED) and stroke therapy device for the treatment of patients, the device comprising:
 an automatic external defibrillator which gathers electrocardiogram (ECG) data;   an ultrasonic transducer, coupled to the automatic external defibrillator, which is adapted to be acoustically coupled to the brain of a subject to send and receive ultrasound signals; and   imaging components configured to diagnose stroke from the ultrasound signals received by the ultrasound transducer and the ECG data,   wherein the ultrasonic transducer is configured to deliver additional ultrasonic energy during administration of a therapy following the diagnosis of stroke.   
     
     
       20. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 19, further comprising a common power supply which powers both the automatic external defibrillator and the ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
       21. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 19, further comprising common audio or visual prompting equipment which prompts a user for proper use of the device. 
     
     
       22. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 20, wherein the common power supply includes a battery. 
     
     
       23. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 19, wherein the automatic external defibrillator includes a defibrillator electrode. 
     
     
       24. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 19, wherein the ultrasound transducer is an annular transducer. 
     
     
       25. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 19, being further configured to diagnose a type of stroke. 
     
     
       26. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 19, wherein the type of stroke includes an ischemic stroke. 
     
     
       27. The combined portable AED and stroke therapy device of claim 19, wherein the type of stroke includes a hemorrhagic stroke.