SCH: INT: A noninvasive cardiac output device for telemonitoring

本研究的重点是设计一种电阻抗断层成像（EIT）设备，用于在家中进行无创心脏成像和心输出量监测。研究活动包括电路，系统和算法的分析和数值模拟;电路和生物医学仪器的设计和制造;基本设备功能的台式评估;以及与当前血流动力学状态监测金标准相比的设备临床前试验。该研究项目还解决了慢性心力衰竭患者有效远程监护进展的关键障碍。这些发展可能有助于降低急性心力衰竭住院率，这将带来以下益处：（i）每年减少数十亿美元的医疗保健成本，（ii）保留选择性医疗保健计划，以及（iii）减少患者暴露于医院获得性感染和医疗错误。这项研究活动将推动EIT成像技术的发展，使其能够在自然、不可预测的环境中使用，这对于以患者为中心的智能互联健康系统至关重要。此外，这项活动将增加如何将实时网格变形算法纳入EIT图像重建的理解。正在探索的概念是（i）低功耗/高性能EIT仪器的自适应模拟前端，（ii）运动伪影鲁棒仪器，以及（iii）用于跟踪体积变化的加速度计导出的网格变形模型。如果该项目成功，它将（i）通过将心脏血流动力学测量添加到远程监护工具套件中来提高远程监护的技术能力;（ii）通过提供针对心脏功能的及时信息来改善临床实践，使医疗保健提供者能够以主动而不是被动的方式管理远程监护患者。

This research focuses on the design of an electrical impedance tomography (EIT) device for performing non-invasive cardiac imaging and cardiac output monitoring at home. The research activities include analysis and numerical simulations of circuits, systems and algorithms; design and fabrication of circuits and biomedical instrumentation; bench-top evaluation of basic device functionality; and pre-clinical trials of the device in comparison with the current gold standard in hemodynamic status monitoring. The research project also addresses a critical barrier to progress in the effective telemonitoring of chronic heart failure patients. These developments could help to reduce the rate of acute heart failure hospitalizations, which would confer benefits of (i) billions of dollars per year in reduced health care costs, (ii) preservation of elective healthcare schedules, and (iii) reduction of patient exposure to hospital-acquired infections and medical errors.This research activity will advance the state of the art in EIT imaging technology, allowing it to be used in natural, unpredictable environments, which is critical for a patient-centric smart connected health system. Also, this activity will increase understanding of how to incorporate real-time mesh deformation algorithms into EIT image reconstruction. The concepts being explored are (i) adaptive analog front ends for low power/high performance EIT instrumentation, (ii) motion artifact robust instrumentation, and (iii) accelerometer-derived mesh deformation models for tracking volume changes. If the project is successful, it will (i) improve the technical capability of telemonitoring, by adding cardiac hemodynamic measurements to the suite of telemonitoring tools; (ii) improve clinical practice by providing timely information that is specific to heart function, allowing the healthcare provider to manage telemonitored patients in a proactive rather than reactive way.