| US 7,491,170 B2 | ||
| Noninvasive methods for assessing valvular and ventricular dysfunction | ||
| Morteza Gharib, San Marino, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 08, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/615,884. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/459074, filed on Mar. 31, 2003. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2004/0193035 A1, Sep. 30, 2004 | ||
| Int. Cl. A61B 8/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 600—438 | 14 Claims |
| 1. A method for assessing progress of valvular dysfunction of a patient comprising:
determining flow parameters of a patient's valve using non-invasive techniques, said flow parameters consisting of an amount
of flow over time in an annulus, a diastolic filling period and information indicative of a size of said annulus;
using only said flow parameters to determine a Formation number indicative of cardiac information including information about
said annulus, where said Formation number is a non-dimensional parameter;
providing a baseline data of Formation number (Fn) from said patient;
measuring a patient's Fn over time; and
comparing the measured Fn to said baseline data so as to obtain a differential Fn; and
using the differential Fn as an assessment of a progress of the valvular dysfunction.
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