Device for pneumothorax diagnosis using breath sounds

描述（由申请人提供）： 本申请的主要焦点是开发一种使用呼吸音的计算机化分析进行PTX检测的新装置。 初步动物研究表明，这种方法可能具有较高的诊断能力。 拟议的人类、动物和机械实验将利用声学测量和分析，这些测量和分析旨在测试可行性、优化技术并研究肺系统中的音频声波行为。 该技术产生的设备预计将是准确的，易于使用，无辐射，廉价，快速，便携和安全。 该项目的长期目标是开发利用计算机辅助听诊体音诊断疾病的技术。 虽然听诊器用于医学诊断是常见的，但是这种方法依赖于技术，只能提供定性信息，并且可能受到人类辨别某些声学差异的能力的固有限制。 所提出的工作的创新性是同时多传感器采集的身体声音结合最先进的数字处理算法的实施。 从拟议的工作中积累的知识基础和经验可能有助于开发广泛的诊断技术，包括心血管，胃肠道，肌肉和关节应用。 例如，早期的研究已经表明了诊断小肠梗阻、气腹、血管通路受损、冠状动脉闭塞和骨质疏松症等疾病的潜在效用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary focus of the current application is to develop a new device for PTX detection using computerized analysis of breath sounds. Pilot animal studies suggested that this approach may have high diagnostic power. The proposed human, animal, and mechanical experiments will utilize acoustic measurements and analyses that are designed to test feasibility, optimize the technique, and study audible-frequency acoustic wave behavior in the pulmonary system. Devices resulting from this technology are expected to be accurate, easy-to-use, radiation-free, inexpensive, rapid, portable, and safe. The long-term objective of this project is to develop techniques for the diagnosis of medical conditions using computer-assisted auscultation of body sounds. While the use of stethoscopes for medical diagnosis is common, this approach is skill dependent, can only provide qualitative information, and may suffer from inherent limitations of human ability to discern certain acoustic differences. The innovative nature of the proposed work is the implementation of simultaneous multi-sensor acquisition of body sounds combined with state of the art digital processing algorithms. The accumulated knowledge base and experience from the proposed work may be useful in developing a broad range of diagnostic technologies including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, muscle, and joint applications. For example, earlier studies have suggested potential utility for diagnosis of such conditions as small bowel obstruction, pneumoperitoneum, vascular access compromise, coronary occlusions, and osteoporosis.